Two Souls Tied
by Charlie Belle
Summary: Veronica never believed in love or soulmates growing up, was taught to believe that love is what made Shadowhunters weak. But as she grew up she fell in love - with none other than Jace Wayland. The boy that grew up with her and her siblings. But will her return to the New York Insitution be their weakest point - or will their love give them both strength. Set before Clary. JW/OC
1. The Return

**One**

Veronica Lightwood stared up at the ancient and rundown church in front of her, her hands gripping her suitcase handle so tightly that her knuckles were turning white and her hands were aching. After a few more deep breaths, she took a few tentative steps forward before walking through the doors. The welcomed noise of the busy Institute made a small smile cross over her painted red lips. It had been years since she last walked through the New York Institute doors. She didn't walk through the foyer far before the loud calling of her sister broke through the noise.

"Ronnie!" She screamed happily as she nearly ran towards her older sister. Ronnie dropped the suitcase in her hand before opening her arms.

A small sense of relief and calm washed over her body as her little sisters arms wrapped around her slightly taller frame. Ronnie stepped back and smiled down towards her sister, looking into the eyes that mirrored her own. Both girls an almost exact replica of their mother; both with long wavy ebony hair, dark eyes framed by long lashes, and voluptuous frames that seemed to get Isabelle into more trouble than Ronnie.

"You have been gone for too long, next time the Clave asks for you to return to Idris, suggest they take Alec instead. You're more fun." Isabelle smiled.

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment." Ronnie laughed softly before reaching down for her bag. "Wanna show me our apartment, roomie?"

Isabelle reached and grabbed her sisters hand, leading her down the long corridor to their left. The girls didn't walk far before Isabelle unlocked the door to their apartment, before closing the door tightly behind her.

"You know I thought it would feel weird to be back here, but it actually feels more like home than home does." Ronnie chuckled before walking over and taking a seat on the dark couch that sat towards the center of the room.

"That's because you don't have moms watchful prying eyes on your back every second." Isabelle laughed before plopping down beside her older sister.

"True." Ronnie laughed "Where's Alec? Thought he'd be with the welcoming committee and would wanna see me first."

"He's in training with Jace, they should be wrapping up soon." Isabelle shrugged her shoulders.

Before she could speak, the door to their apartment opened revealing Alec behind it.

"Ronnie." He sighed in what seemed to be relief before rushing towards his twin sister and pulling her into his arms. She buried her face into her brothers neck and tightened her hold on him as they embraced.

"Don't you ever stay away for that long ever again," Alec whispered softly before pulling back and caressing her cheeks softly, a small smile on his lips. "I don't care if I have to fight the Clave myself."

"It wasn't all that bad," Ronnie teased before stepping back out of her brothers arms. "But I'm here permanently, you don't have to worry about me leaving any time soon."

Alec walked over and took a seat on the small chair across the couch in the living room, of the now shared apartment, of the Lightwood sisters. The smile on all their faces were causing their cheeks to ache, but neither of them faltered. It had been almost five years since all three of the older Lightwood siblings have been in the same room. The missions of the Clave always keeping Veronica – Ronnie – Lightwood away from her family for long periods of time.

"You guys have a mission?" Veronica asked. "Or can we spend the night together? Maybe head out for a family dinner? Spend some time together before we have work?"

"Not currently." Isabelle answered "Maybe we can head down to Half Moon. Small little bar that serves amazing pub food."

"Werewolf bar?" Ronnie asked.

Alec nodded his head slightly "With the Accords in action no one really bothers anyone. Alcohol kind of helps as well."

Ronnie tightened the string of her knee high leather boots before walking over to the full length mirror to check on her outfit. Her hands tugged gently on the hem of her dress before brushing off her long hair off her shoulder.

"You look good." Isabelle smiled as she stepped out wearing all black like her sister, but in the form of leather leggings and a cropped shirt that was tied in the front as a knot. Isabelle sat on the edge of the couch to slip on her red leather pumps. "I'm gonna go and find Alec, I'm sure he never knows what to wear for these kind of things."

"I'll meet you in the lobby I'm almost ready, just need to touch up my make-up a little"

Isabelle stood and grabbed her handbag before walking out of the small apartment, leaving the heavy dark wood door open as she left. Veronica sighed softly and walked over to Isabelle's vanity and started to touch up on her makeup. It wasn't long before she looked up towards the mirror, her eyes connecting with a set of blues that stood in the doorway. She could feel her heart stop for only a beat before speeding up quickly. Veronica turned around in her seat to face him, her brown eyes wide with both shock and a little fear as she stared towards Jace.

"W-What are you doing here?" She whispered softly.

"Alec told me you were back." Jace stood tall in the doorway, his blue eyes glaring towards her as he arms crossed at his chest. "Unlike you."

She sighed softly "I-I was gonna come and say 'hi'."

Jace scuffed and shook his head. "Let's not continue the lies, Veronica. You kept this from me, just like you kept you leaving from me. You know I was hoping that after all these years you would've changed."

"Jace," Ronnie took a step forward and took a deep breath. "I had to leave quickly and you know that. I tried staying in contact."

"Save it." He rolled his eyes before taking a step back and walking out of the room, leaving her standing there with tears welling in her eyes as she fisted her hands tightly.

Ronnie sat and slowly stirred her straw as she looked across the bar and watched as Jace flirted with a random blonde that sat perched at the end of the bar, batting her false lashes as she flirted and touched him. Isabelle couldn't help her smirk as she watched her sister watching Jace, it was funny to her how they both danced around their feelings for each other. Ronnie reached for the glass tumbler and took a large gulp as she watched Jace lean forward and whisper in the girls ear, his hand moving up her thigh slowly.

"Why don't you go and pour a drink over the girls head or something. It's better than sitting here and glaring holes into the side of her head" Isabelle laughed.

"And why would I do that exactly?" She averted her eyes away and back towards her sisters face. "I don't care what Jace does with this free time."

"Right," Isabelle laughed and shook her head before she sips lightly on her martini. "Well then you might wanna change your facial expression."

Ronnie sighed softly and ran her finger through her hair as she took another drink of her glass and finished it off.

"Let's get something a little stronger." Isabelle reached over and grabbed her sister's hand and lead her towards the bar. "You're back and we should be celebrating."

"You're right. I'm sorry." Ronnie stood up straighter and waved down the bartender before ordering two drinks. Ronnie sat down on the bar stool, conveniently with a direct view to Jace and the new friend he had made. Isabelle handed her sister her drink, before taking a few sips herself. Alec walked back over from the back of the bar where he was once playing pool before sitting beside his twin sister. His followed her eyes and frowned when he saw Jace. When he looked back to his sisters face and could see the heartache on her face.

"Hey," He whispered catching her attention. He gave her a sympathetic smile and moved to rub her back gently. "You wanna head somewhere else?"

Ronnie shook her head and looked down towards her drink, before taking a small sip again and turning towards her siblings.

"I wanna have fun tonight. The Lightwood's are back together and I'm with my family." Ronnie smiled between her siblings before raising her glass. "To the Lightwood's"

 **AN: Please leave a review. Would love to know thoughts about the story as it continues. Have been a fan of The Mortal Instruments since the books first came out, and now with the show I have ventured with this story idea. Thank you for reading! ~CB**


	2. Nothing

**Two**

 _Veronica's small hands gripped tightly to the wrought iron banister as she stared down towards the first floor as her parents walked through the door. Her mother has her hand placed gently on the shoulder of a boy. His wide blue eyes searched around the older home, both curious and scared of his new surroundings. A ten year old Veronica watched as her parents talked quietly to each other, before her mother bent down and talked to the boy._

" _Who is that?" Alec spoke as he knelt down beside his sister._

" _Don't know. Mom and Dad arrived with him five minutes ago." Veronica couldn't keep her eyes off the mystery boy as she spoke._

 _Veronica and Alec's talking grabbed the attention of their parents, causing their mother to smile up towards them._

" _Alec, Veronica why don't you come on down and meet Jace." The both of them stood from the floor before walking down the steps slowly._

 _Alec was first the step forward and reach his hand out, shaking his hand with a small smile on his face._

" _Hey, Jace." Alec smiled. "I'm Alec and this is my twin sister, Ronnie."_

 _Ronnie stayed shied away behind her brother as she looked towards him, her brown eyes locked with his blue one's as they stood in front of each other._

Veronica walked down the hallway of the Institute towards the main floor, her heels clicking hard against the aged marble. Her eyes scanned over the Ops floor, watching as other Shadowhunters worked, the excitement slowly starting to build before she walked where Alec and Isabelle stood, files of demonic attacks across New York scattered in front of them.

"Have a mission for us?" Ronnie crossed her arms at her chest as she looked over the files. Her brown eyes shining with excitement as she saw the vast type of demons on the information screen.

"There's a Shax demon connected to multiple Mundane disappearances in the Upper East Side." Alec spoke as he stood in front of the Information screen, his hand reaching up to zoom in on one of the documents. "Of course with the Shax demons being trackers that means someone is controlling them."

"Any clue on who that is?" Ronnie walked up to stand beside her brother, his face turning serious as she read over the documents, mentally catching up with what they had gathered.

"No." Alec sighed with defeat. "The Clave still hasn't found a replacement for the Institute to run it, so now we're taking orders from them. They want us to go out tonight and patrol."

"I'm coming." Ronnie stated. "Have been itching to get back onto the field, sitting around and doing nothing the past few days has made me feel like I was going a little crazy."

Isabelle laughed softly as she sat up more in her chair. "The Lightwood Three back together again!"

Isabelle nearly jumped fro her seat and walked towards the weapons room as Alec moved to stand closer to his sister and lean back against the table.

"Jace is heading this mission." His eyes connected with his sister's. "You going to be ok with that?"

"That's if he lets me." Ronnie ran her hand through her long hair and brushed it off her shoulder. "I've been trying to talk to him for days but he keeps avoiding me and walking away from me."

Alec shrugged his shoulders. "He's still hurt from you leaving. You never told him why and you didn't even try explaining it to him. I tried telling him that it wasn't your choice but you two were close. You know how Jace is. He's gonna bury his feelings no matter how much he's hurt."

Ronnie nodded her head knowing her brother was right, before looking over the Ops room for any sign of Jace. When she didn't notice him any where, she mumbled a goodbye to her brother before walking away. She walked down the hall towards the West Wing that held the apartments for all the Shadowhunters that resided inside the NY Institute. She stopped outside Jace's room and knocked on the door before opening and stepping inside.

The moment she walked into the room she was welcomed with the soft, yet masculine, scent that was all Jace. It made her body feel calm. Ronnie took a few steps farther into the room and slowly started to look around apartment. She noticed the framed photos on the wall and small trinkets along with books on a shelf near his large mahogany desk in the far corner. As she walked along the wall, she froze in front of one particular photo. It was taken only a few months before Ronnie was sent away by the Clave. Jace's arms wrapped around her, pressing his chest against her back as they both smiled into the camera.

Her hand reached up and traced along the side of his face over the glass of the framed photo and frowned. Alec was right, Jace and Ronnie were close. It was Ronnie that Jace opened up to when his first came to the Lightwood house hold. Their bond growing more and more with each passing day. But it was soon, for Ronnie at least, that their closeness soon started to change for her.

"You know you're usually not supposed to enter someone's home if they aren't home."

Ronnie jumped slightly as the sound of the deep voice behind her, making her jump slightly and turn around to face him. Jace stood in the doorway of the apartment with is blue eyes glaring towards her. Ronnie opened her mouth a couple of times trying to find words to say, but nothing would leave her lips. Jade sighed heavily and shook his head before closing the apartment door behind him and walking closer to her.

"What are you doing here?" He spoke, his voice flat and emotionless as he stared down towards her.

"I-I was coming to talk to you." She whispered softly. "A-about the mission you're heading with Izzy and Alec. I want in."

"No." Jace stepped away from her and walked across the living space and towards the kitchen on the opposite side.

"And why not?" Ronnie's demeanor changing quickly to anger as her eyes followed after him before walking towards him.

"Alec, Izzy and I have been doing perfectly fine. We don't need any more help." Jace reached up and grabbed a glass from the top shelf before setting it down on the counter.

"Alec say's different." Ronnie lied, knowing Jace wouldn't go against anything that Alec suggested. "You know I could be helpful with a mission."

Jace stared towards her for a long moment before turning his gaze away and reaching into the lower cabinet for a drink. "Doesn't mean I want to have you there."

"What the hell is your problem." She shouted and walked faster towards him till she was standing directly in front of you. "I have been here for four days and you haven't said one thing to me."

Ronnie watched as his jaw ticked as he stared down towards her, his blue eyes turning dark like the sky before the storm. She had to fist her hand tightly to keep them from shaking as she stood her ground.

"I have nothing to say to you." Jace stepped closer to her, his chest almost pressed against hers. "You and I have nothing. You are nothing to me, Veronica. You became that the moment you left home and turned your back on us."

It felt like a stab to her chest with every word he spoke, venom and hatred dripping with every word. Jace watched as she stared to crumble in front of his. The fire that was inside her only seconds ago started to fall, the light starting to dim in her eyes as she stared up at him. Jace fought to keep his face stone cold as he was watched her turn away from him, but it was too late, he already saw the tears starting to well up in her eyes.

"Please," She whispered "I just want to come on the mission. Have some work to do."

Veronica turned till her back was facing Jace, reaching up quickly to wipe at her eyes as she fought back the tears. Jace scuffed slightly and grabbed his glass before taking a sip and walking over towards his desk and setting the drink down. Jace looked up towards her and saw she hadn't moved and could see her hands fisted tightly at her sides.

"Fine." He spoke softly, before turning his attention back to the papers he had spread before him on his desk.

Veronica nodded her head before briskly walking out of Jace's apartment and back out towards the hall. Jace flinched when the door slammed, causing a heavy and tense feeling to settle into the room. He sat down and buried his face into his hands and let out a deep and heavy sigh. Jace knew what he told Ronnie was a complete and total lie, but also said it for his own protection. He couldn't take getting hurt by Veronica Lightwood again. His heart wouldn't be able to survive.

 **Please Review with your thoughts ~ CB**


	3. Touch

**Three**

 _Ronnie ran as fast as her legs could take her, her legs ached in pain with each step she took against the pavement. Her lungs burned, but she couldn't stop. No matter the pain she couldn't let it stop. Her pace slowed slightly as she turned the corner, taking that as a moment to hide and to catch her breath. She could hear both Jace and Alec's footsteps as they searched for her. Since their arrival to the Institute in New York, their parents being the new Heads, the training has been intensified. Their father, Robert, pushing them harder and harder with each session. Unknown to Veronica Lightwood's knowledge her father was training her to be the best of the Shadowhunters._

" _Ronnie!" Alec called out, causing her spine to straighten and grip the hilt of her Seraph blade "Ronnie!"_

 _She closed her eyes as she tried to ease her breathing, making it so it wasn't so hard and labored and undetectable. With her eyes closed she counted the footsteps that neared her, and with the years of training and learning, was able to tell the footsteps belonged to Jace. When she opened her eyes she took a few more deep breaths before turning the corner quickly, catching the young boy off guard. Shifting her weight to the right with a kick, she was able to knock him off his feet, causing him to land on his back._

 _Jace groaned in pain as his back hit the hard asphalt beneath him, before opening his eyes to see a Ronnie above him, and a seraph blade to his throat. He closed his eyes and began to relax before shaking his head._

" _How is it you get us every time," Alec sounded from behind his sister, his beloved bow in his hands as he walked towards the two._

" _Because she has focus." Robert spoke as he walked towards the three children, not really children any more with all of them turning thirteen in the past months._

 _Ronnie smiled down towards Jace and sheathed her blade before reaching her hand down to help Jace from the floor. Ronnie felt the slightly hum that was just beneath the surface of her skin as their hands clasped together. Ronnie's brown eyes locked with Jace's and she knew by the look on his face that he felt it too._

Jace slowly walked along the halls of the Institute, the silence both impending and comforting to him. Ever since Ronnie's return Jace has always felt on edge. Feeling the small sensation and buzz at the back of his neck and a weight on his chest. The truth was that Jace didn't hate her. He could never hate her. But what Jace truly knew scared him. The moment he knew she was back, a part of him felt like he was coming back to life since her departure. But the scared him more than anything.

He reached up and ran his fingers through his hair and let out a soft sigh as he turned down the hallway towards the apartments for all the Shadowhunters. As he neared towards his door he could soft whimpers and cries. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and his spine straighten. It was like his body went onto autopilot mode as he body pivoted towards the direction of the noise and waited to listen. It was a few moments before the whimpers and cries grew louder. As he walked closer he knew exactly whose apartment it came from. Veronica and Isabelle's.

He knew that was Isabelle was out patrolling the city with a few other Shadowhunters. Jace slowly walked closer and closer to the door and pushed on it gently, slightly relieved when the door began to open. When he walked in he saw her laid across the couch, her body curled into the fetal position as her body shook with the whimpers and cries that escaped her sleeping body.

Jace acted on instinct and rushed towards her, kneeling down beside the couch and gently began to shake her awake. She jumped slightly in her sleep and turned onto her back. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her brown eyes looked up towards Jace, wild and scared with the fear of her dream hazy in her gaze.

"Hey, hey. It's me." Jace reached and pushed the hair from her face as she slowly sat up. Her hands reached out and grabbed his forearms. Jace's eyes scanned over her body and quickly realized that she was hyperventilating. "Breathe with me, Ronnie. Breathe."

He forced her eyes to focus on his and placed her hand on his bare chest for her to mimic his breathing. It took a long moment but he was finally able to get her breathing to calm down, but her hands stayed on his chest. A soft hum channeling through the two of them as they sat in the dark and room, the only noise between them was their breathing.

"W-Where did..." She panted softly, her eyes still locked with his. "How did you..."

She was never able to finish her sentence as Jace reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks. He couldn't help but notice how her lips swelled when she cried. Jace's eyes focused on her lips for a moment before looking back up towards her eyes.

"I could hear you from the hallway." Jace whispered and sighed softly.

She nodded her head and looked down towards her lap before sniffling slightly and slowly pulling her hand away from his chest. The hum stopped as her finger tips grazed against his skin for the last time. Jace missed it. Something that was hard for him to admit to himself. Ronnie slowly pulled her legs up to her chest as she rested back against the couch and sniffled lightly. Jace moved off from the floor and moved to sit down beside her and moved closer to her.

"Thank you." Ronnie spoke. "I must've forgotten to take my meds."

Jace's face screwed up and looked towards her. "Meds?"

Veronica nodded her head "Mom has me on sleeping medication. Night terrors." Her eyes looked up towards him with a vulnerability. "Needed them ever since my assignment for the Clave. Mom sent me to the Silent Brothers and they gave me these pills that help me sleep."

Ronnie let out a shaky breath and rubbed her hand over her face and rubbed at her eyes. Slowly her body stared to ease towards Jace more. Her body leaning towards him, their bodies wanting to touch and be near each other. Jace reached out and placed his hand on her knee, a sign of comfort, causing her to fully fold into him. Jace couldn't ignore it, the feeling of having her this close. It was like everything around him went silent and it was only her.

"What did you do for the Clave?" Jace whispered softly.

Ronnie shook her head and closed her eyes. "I-I can't talk about it."

Jace sat there for a moment and looked down to notice that she was once again asleep. Her soft even breathing brushing against his chest. He closed his eyes tightly, before slowly moving to take her into his arms and carry her towards her bedroom. No matter how hard he tried to fight it, he couldn't deny how she fit against him. How her body felt against his. But Jace couldn't give in. Growing up their were taught that emotion made them weak. Made them second guess themselves and not make them strong as Shadowhunters.

Jace placed her into bed and tucked her in gently, before quietly leaving out the apartment and heading back towards his. The moment he was away from her his heart began to race, and the weight was back on his chest.

Ronnie walked into the weapons room and stopped in her tracks when she saw Jace sitting at the counter cleaning his blade. She let out a shaky breath before walking closer to him. When he heard her footsteps his head popped up and watched as she walked towards him.

"Hey" She whispered softly "D-Did you come into my room last night?"

Jace paused for a moment before shaking his head and turning his attention back to his blade. "No."

He lied. He knew he shouldn't have lied. But Jace wouldn't let himself give to the way he was feeling. The way he has been feeling since he was thirteen years old. _Emotions make you weak_. He could hear the voice repeating in his head, the voice growing louder any time Ronnie was around and his heart began to race. Last night was a moment of weakness for him and he knew that he'd never had to do it again.

"Weird." She whispered softly and look down with confusion on her face before she stepped closer to him. "Are you sure?"

Jace looked towards him and glared slightly. "I think I would know if I was, or was not, in your room last night. I have better things t do and other things to worry about."

Jace pushed off from the table and walked around her towards the shelf across the other side of the room. Ronnie turned around slowly towards him and sighed softly as she watched him.

"We have to leave soon for the missing. I'd advise that you start to get ready so we can start patrol soon." Jace spoke with a harsh tone with his back still turned towards her.

Ronnie felt her heart stop, and a small pain develop in her chest, as she looked towards his rigid back. She could feel the slight sting in her eyes from teas, but they never came. She was learning to take Jace's hate. She hurt him and didn't blame him. She nodded her head even though she knew that he didn't see her before leaving out of the weapons room and back to the Ops floor to gather information before they left.

 **Thank you for all the alerts and follows. Please leave a review with your thoughts. Would love to know if you're enjoying the story? ~ CB**


	4. Venom

**Four**

Ronnie held tightly the sheath of her Seraph blade that sat in it's holder that was strapped tightly to her hip as she slowly paced back and forth on the roof top of a New York office building. Below her the fast pace of the crowd of people created the only noise in the late night. Her eyes scanned over the crowd quickly, looking for anything out of place, as Jace did the exact same at the other side of the roof. The tension between then two was enough to suffocate them in the cool fall night. Ronnie knew that not too far away Isabelle and Alec were surveying the other end of the block looking for any sign of the demon. For a moment she paused at the ledge of the corner and slowly her eyes moved to Jace.

She bit down on her lower lip pulling on it slightly before releasing it. She sighed deeply and moved towards him, the sound of her feet against the gravel catching Jace's attention and having him turn towards her.

"See anything?" Jace asked with his voice hard and emotionless.

"No." She sighed softly and crossed her arms at her chest. "And I'm sure Izzy and Alec are gonna be enough coverage for us to get this done and over with."

"Get what over with?" He stepped down and slowly walks towards her till they are only mere inches apart.

"This." She points her fingers moving in the space between them. Jace's eyes hardened more causing Ronnie to keep her back up. "I've been home for nearly a week now and you have done nothing but make it pretty clear that you don't want me here. I wanna know why Jace. I wanna know why you hate me so much."

"I don't hate you." Jace speaks softly and shaking his head. He looked away from her before turning back towards the ledge to start patrol again.

"Bullshit" Ronnie walks towards him quickly, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to turn around and face her.

"I don't Ronnie." Jace glared down towards her, stepping away from her hold but keeping his blue eyes locked on hers.

"Could've fooled me." She scoffs and shakes her head. "You seem to forget that we've grown up together Jace? I can read you like a open book. Every time I walk into the room you become stiff and cold."

Jace sighed softly and reached to run his fingers through his blonde hair. "I don't hate you. You're not exactly my favorite person right now. Haven't been since you left us."

"Left you?" Ronnie looks up towards him confused. "What? From years ago? You know I don't have a choice when the Clave tells us we have to leave for missions."

"For nearly years!" Jace shook his head "You never kept contact with us. It was like you disappeared and were happy to get away from us. From your family."

"That's not true. I wrote all the time. I wrote for you, Alec, Izzy and even Max sometimes." Ronnie stepped closer to him. "Jace I never abandoned you. Mom told me all the time how you guys were doing."

"I never heard from you." Jace whispered. "Never. Do you have any idea what that did to me? You were the one I trusted most and you left in the middle of the night and I was never able to say my goodbyes."

"Jace" Ronnie whispered before reaching up and caressing his cheek to direct his eyes towards hers more as he looked away. "I never wanted to leave you."

Jace kept his eyes on her, seeing the sincerity in her eyes and could feel his heart racing with just the simple touch. The hard mask that was placed over his face slowly started to slip away.

"I never meant to make you feel like I did that to you." She whispered softly. Before Jace could speak Izzy's voice broke through the silence that had built between them through their ear pieces.

"Guys." She spoke causing the two of them jumping apart. "I spotted the demons, they are walking through the crowd heading north through the back alley. Following a Mundane."

Ronnie stepped away from Jace and walked towards the edge of the rooftop and looked down into the alley, her eyes scanning over the dark before her eyes locked on the small movement coming from the north. She gripped the hilt of her Seraph blade before looking over her shoulder towards Jace, with a simple nod, the two of them dropped down into the alley smoothly. He followed quickly behind her with Alec and Izzy traveling across the rooftops.

"Be careful. This one is venomous." Jace whispered softly as he slowly walked beside her. She nodded her head and pulled her Seraph blade out before the two started to quicken their pace.

As they approached the Shax demon, Jace split off to the left and Ronnie off to the right. She could feel the adrenaline rushing through her veins as she rushed the demon. Keeping her eyes locked on it as it tracked behind a mundane. Ronnie traveled up the wall on her right before dropping down in front of it.

The Shax demon morphed out of it's Mundane disguise and back to it's normal form. It's yellow eyes glaring towards Ronnie as it charged towards her. She moved quickly to avoid the first blow before it struck her again on her side. Ronnie let out a soft groan before using her blade to strike it against it's arm. Jace moved to follow up her quickly as the demon fell on top of her, pinning Ronnie down by both her arms. Jace moved quick and stabbed the Shax demon into it's spine, causing it to burst into flames.

Ronnie let out a soft groan before rolling onto her side to slowly sit up, Jace knelt down beside her quickly as his eyes examined over her body quickly.

"You ok?" He asked as his hands brushed back her hair causing her to grimace as his fingers brushed against the cut on her forehead.

"Yeah." She sighs softly before nodding her head. "Yeah. Was a lot stronger than I thought it was gonna be."

Jace grabbed to her arm quickly before helping her to stand on her feet. Just as she was on her feet both Alec and Isabelle rushed down the alley towards them. Ronnie places her Seraph blade back into the holder on her waist as they joined her siblings. Ronnie grabbed her stele from her back pocket and brushed her hair to the side to activate her healing rune.

"Let's go home." Ronnie sighed softly as her brother walked up beside her and brought her close to his chest. Alec kept a protective arm around his sister as they all started their journey back towards the Institute. But with each step Ronnie took her steps began to falter and stumble.

"Ronnie?" Alec stopped and grabbed her shoulders, his eyes quickly changing to fear as he watched his sister sway back and forth in front of him. "Hey, hey. What's wrong?"

Jace walked closer to her and pulled away the dark leather jacket she wore and saw the large cut along her side.

"The demon." Isabelle. whispered horrified. "When it struck her it must've pierced through and the rune isn't able to fight off the venom."

Ronnie's eyes rolled towards the back of her head as the weight of her body went limp, Jace moving quickly to catch her as her body began to fall towards him.

 **Please leave a review with thoughts. Thanks for all the support. ~ CB**


	5. Dying

**Five**

Alec raced in front of the group as they neared the Institute, being the first through the doors as the others followed close behind. As he looked back over his shoulder he saw Jace not too far behind him with Ronnie slumped in his arms. Alec held the door open as he ran past him quickly with Izzy right behind him.

"Hodge!" Alec screamed with panic as they moved through the crowded foyer and turned down the hallway towards the Medic Wing.

Jace moved towards the closest cot and set Ronnie gently down across it, her body shaking as her skin started to turn pale and her lips a soft blue. He moved quickly in his panic to strip off her coat and rolled the shirt she wore up to expose the infect wound. The venom began to eat away at the skin around it and turn black. Jace knew what that meant, he knew that the venom was working faster than the healing rune could keep it. _She was dying_. Jace could feel his heart stop with just the thought alone of losing her.

From behind him Jace could hear Hodge run into the room and quickly he took in the scene before him. Alec rummaged through the cabinet on the opposite side of the room, grabbing at anything that looked like it would help his sister.

"What happened?" He spoke, his voice cutting through the chaos before him causing all three of the Shadowhunters before him to stop and look towards him.

"A demon struck her during our last patrol." Alec spoke as he walked briskly towards his sister and dumped the contaminants in his arm on the small table beside the cot. "She activated her healing rune but the venom is working through her system too fast."

Hodge moved quickly to stand beside Jace as his eyes looked at the wound on her side. He moved quickly towards the sink and grabbed a small damp cloth and knelt back down beside her and began to clean away at the black tar that seemed to ooze out of the wound. Ronnie's back arched off the cot as a painful scream left from her lips causing Hodge to jump back away from her slightly. Ronnie rolled over onto her sides as violent coughs raked her body, blood slowly being coughed up and spraying across her lips and the side of the bed.

"Ronnie!" Jace screamed and pulled her back down onto her back. A soft wheeze sounded from her blood stained lips as her eyes looked towards the young Wayland. But it was like she was seeing straight through him.

"I don't think any kind of medicine is going to fight this off." Hodge spoke, the worry clear across his face as his eyes shifted back to Alec and Isabelle. "This is gonna take something stronger"

"What" Isabelle "Whatever it is we can go and get it. We can't let our sister die."

Hodge walked towards the small desk that sat in the corner of the Medic room and grabbed the first writing utensil and paper he saw and wrote down an address quickly.

"Go to this address, the High Warlock of Brooklyn lives there and will know what to do" Hodge sighed softly. "It's gonna take some hard convincing but he's the only hope that your sister has."

Alec snatched the paper from Hodge's hand and turned towards Isabelle and Jace. He looked down in shock as he watched Jace holding to his sisters hand and brushing the hair from her face. For the past weeks Jace has made it very clear that Ronnie wasn't his favorite person. But with the scene before him, one would think the opposite.

"Jace can stay here with Ronnie, Izzy you're coming with me." Alec ordered before turning to run out the door with his sister close behind him.

Jace's eyes looked towards the clock for what felt like the one hundredth time and saw only twenty minutes had passed since Alex and Isabelle left. His eyes closed tightly along with the grip he had on Ronnie's hand. His knees burned with the pain of kneeling on the hard ground beneath him, but Jace didn't care. He wasn't moving from his spot beside her. His blue eyes began to water again as he felt Ronnie begin to shake again before a few more coughs sounded and blood coated her lips. Jace reached over and grabbed the wet cloth Hodge had early and used it to wipe away at her lips. Sweat covered over her skin as dark circles formed around her eyes as her skin began to become paler.

"Jace." Ronnie groaned softly as her eyes opened and looked towards him.

"Shh, Shh," Jace shook his head "Save your strength."

She squeezed her eyes tightly and tried to suppress the cough that tried to come up again. Jace wiped at her face again as her eyes slowly opened and focused on Jace.

"I-I'm sorry." She spoke weakly

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" He looked down towards her.

"For everything." Ronnie wheezed out a soft breath "For leaving."

Jace sighed softly and moved slowly to sit on the edge of the bed. "Veronica, stop talking."

"N-No." She groaned. "You need to know how sorry I am. I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to leave you. I-I can't die knowing that you hate me, Jace."

"You're not gonna die." Jace spoke firmly "Alec and Isabelle are getting help right now. You're going to be fine."

Ronnie shook her head but before anything could be said her body began to shake harder than it had before, and foam at the mouth. Hodge came back into the room at the moment and worked quickly to grab a syringe from a drawer before sticking it into the side of the neck causing her body to almost immediately calm down.

"She's going into shock. Alec and Isabelle need to get here fast. She doesn't have much time."

Alec held tightly to the small vial inside his hands as he raced back towards the institute, the instructions he'd gotten from Mangus Bane replaying in his head. It had been just over an hour since they left and Alec knew they'd either be cutting it close, or he'd walk into the Medic room to see his sister dead. Alec shook the thought out his head before he walked through the doors with his sister beside him.

He walked slowly towards the cot where his sister laid and the panic started to take over when he saw how still she was, a small ease when he watched her chest rise slowly.

"Did you get it?" Jace asked quickly as he rose from his spot beside Ronnie.

Alec nodded and untwisted the top before moving to his sister side and forcing her mouth open. "Mangus said for her to drink this entire vile down and to wrap the wound in Hemlock root."

Isabelle moved behind both of them and slowly unwrapped the dried flower in her hand before walking to the other side and pressing it tightly against her older sister's side. A small whimper left Veronica Lightwoods lips as Isabelle slowly began to wrap up the wound.

"And now it's up to her if she comes back to us or not." Isabelle whispered softly.

 **AN: Sorry this chapter is so small, a lot is going on this month with the start of a new job and trying to get ready for a big trip this weekend. Will try to have another chapter for you guys soon. Please leave a review and thank you for the alerts, faves and reviews. ~ CB.**


	6. Whiskey

**Six**

Alec watched closely as he sat beside his sister, watching as her chest slowly rose and fell with each breath. The only sign he had that she was alive and that terrified him. His hand clenched tightly to hers, their clasped hands resting in his lap.

"Come on, Ronnie." He whispered softly and moved his other hand down to brush her dark curls from her forehead. "I need you. Isabelle and I need you. And I know the two of you are going through a rough patch, but Jace needs you too. You're the one that keeps us bound together."

Alec looked down over her, looking for any sign that she could hear him or that she was waking up. He sighed softly and tightened his hold on her hand before standing and walking towards the washing basin to gently clean over her face.

Hours had passed before Ronnie slowly started to wake from her deep slumber. Alec sat on the small wingback chair that sat on the other side of the room, Isabelle sitting on the edge of the bed. A small groan left her lips before her body slowly started to move with stiffness. Alec moved quickly to her beside as Isabelle stood up from her seat on the cot. Ronnie's eyes slowly began to open before a violent cough began to take over her body. Isabelle moved quickly and shifted her sister to the side and held her hair back as a black tar erupted from her lips.

"Holy hell." Alec moved back to grab the warm wet cloth from the small beside table and sat her up quickly to wipe away her mouth.

"Mangus said the venom would have to exit her body at some point." Isabelle sighed softly as he sister shifted her eyes back and forth between her siblings.

"W-What happened?" She whimpered and fall back against the small headboard.

"The Shax demon poisoned you." Alec sighed softly as he threw the cloth off to the side.

"How long have I been out?" She sighed softly and looked towards her twin brother.

"Two days. Had us worried that you weren't coming back to us." Alec reached down and caressed his sister's cheek softly. With a shaky hand she reached up and grabbed her brother's wrists tightly.

"I'd never leave you two, Alec." She smiles weakly towards him before looking towards Isabelle. "Lightwood Three always stick together remember?"

Isabelle smiles widely towards her sister before wrapping her arms around her tightly and holding her. Ronnie let out a soft groan and winced slightly from the impact, before moving her arms slowly around her sister and tightened the hold. Alec smiled and watched them both before moving closer to join in on the hug.

* * *

It was only an hour ago that Alec and Isabelle stopped hovering over her, taking her word finally that she was feeling better and ok. She sighed softly as she stepped out of her shower, reaching for the towel on the rack to her right, her finger tips grazed against the pink raised scar of where the Shax demon attacked her, before wrapping the towel around her curvy frame. With a small frown she turned away from the mirror and walked out. She sighed softly and walked towards her bedroom and dried off before changing into a pair of shorts and a tank top.

After brushing her hair back from her face, she grabbed her hoodie off the back of the chair before making her way out of her apartment. The halls of the institute were silent as she walked down along the marbled halls. Ronnie took a deep breath before turning towards the door to the one person she wanted to see. Her hand rose up and softly knocked on the door and waited only a few seconds before the door opened revealing Jace standing on the other side.

A sense of relief washed of his features and posture as his eyes scanned over her frame. He couldn't help himself as he took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly against his chest. A small gasp passed between Ronnie's lips before her arms wrapped up around his neck and hugged him back. Her eyes closed as a calmness washed over her body, and for the first time since waking up, she felt safe.

"By the Angels, I'm so happy you're ok." Jace whispered softly against her neck before pulling away slowly and looking down towards her. "You are ok, right? You're feeling alright?"

Ronnie nodded her head quickly. "As best as I can be."

"You shouldn't be on your feet." Jace reached for her hand and quickly pulled her into the apartment, moving her towards the couch and sitting her down. "Do you need anything? Water? Food maybe?"

Ronnie laughed softly and reached to grab both of Jace's forearms, causing his attention back fully to her. "I came here to escape the coddling. Please, Jace, I'm fine. Whatever Alec and Isabelle got from that warlock worked wonders. I feel fine."

Jace stared down towards her for a moment, looking for any sign that she was lying and trying to cover up her pain, but he didn't see a sign of any of that. He closed his eyes and sighed once more, before opening them and looking back towards her.

"Ok." Jace grabbed her hand tightly and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.

"I wanted to thank you." Ronnie spoke "I know I'm not your favorite person at the moment, but the fact that stayed beside me really means a lot to me Jace."

Jace felt a sharp pain in his chest at her words and instantly felt ashamed of himself. The girl sitting in front of him thought he hated her in the moments she thought she was dying. He didn't hate her. Jace far from hated her and that's what scared him the most.

"I've been really unfair to you, Veronica." Jace pulled one of his hands way from to push the blonde strands from his face. "I was hurt from you leaving, but I also understood why you did it. The Clave sent you on a mission and there was nothing you could've done to change that."

Ronnie reached up and caressed his cheek softly, causing his blue eyes to turn towards her. "But I understood where you were coming from, Jace. If the roles were reversed I would've been a little hurt if you had left with no goodbye."

Jace nodded his head before grabbing her hand and squeezed it before letting it fto her lap. He sat there for a moment before the feeling of her sitting beside all back him became too much. They might've gotten over the hurdle of Ronnie being back, but Jace wasn't ready to face the fact that he was in love with her.

"So are we good now? We can stop tip toeing around each other?" Ronnie looked up towards him from the couch as he walked towards the kitchen and pulled down two glasses.

Jace poured two glasses of whiskey before walking back and setting the glass down in front of her.

"Yeah we are good." Jace smiled before sitting down on the other side of the couch. "It actually felt good to fight beside you again. It felt like old times"

"It did." Ronnie takes a small sip of her glass and grimaced slightly as she felt the burn of the alcohol went down her throat. "Just like when we were kids and dad would have us train for hours on end. Would just be kicking yours and Alec's ass nonstop."

"I don't remember it that way." Jace laughed

 **AN: Not too fully confident in this chapter, work and vacations kind of gave me writers block. But now Ronnie and Jace are getting on better terms. Please leave a review, love knowing readers thoughts. Thank you for the alerts and reviews ~ CB**


	7. Dragonfly Glass

**Seven**

Weeks have passed since the attack and Ronnie was finally feeling like herself again. She sat in the Ops floor looking over paper work from previous missions, with her health even being up, she was still reserved to desk duty. Ronnie let out a deep agitated sigh as she signed off on her last stack of papers for the day, before running her hands through her thick hair. Her brown looked over the busy floor before her eyes spotted her brother walking towards her quickly and a stern look on his face. Ronnie knew that look – and it never equaled to anything good.

"Have you talked to mom or dad recently?" Alec asked placing his hand down on her desk, bringing his eyes down to level with hers. She shook her head slowly, confusion on her features.

"Just got a message from Idris saying they are coming for a visit." He sighed and moved to lean on her desk. "They are worried, heard about your attack and are now coming to the institute to investigate."

Ronnie cursed under her breath. "I left Idris to get away from them. Not for them to find their way back to overlook me."

She pushed away from her chair as she stood from her seat and walked away from her desk. A hand ran down over her face as she walked back towards her apartment. The nerves started to course through her veins with every thought that ran through her mind. The last thing that Ronnie needed was her mother and father coming back and turning her world around more than it already was.

The moment she walked through the door the first place she walked towards was her bathroom. Her eyes and hands began to move frantically as she searched through the cabinets and drawers, a huge sense of relief settled over her as the small dragonfly green vial came into view nestled in the back of her cabinet. Ronnie reached forward and grabbed it quickly, before pulling the top open and knocked out two small pills into her hands. The small black tablets seemed to stare back up towards her before she turned on the facet. Knocking both pills into her mouth and knocking them into her mouth before sticking her head under the faucet and taking a large drink.

Ronnie stood slightly and gripped the edge of the sink as she stood in front of the mirror before looking up towards the mirror. She washed as her pupils dilated wide before her brown eyes darkened to almost a black. A small sigh passed through her lips before she turned off the water and slowly walked towards her bed. Rarely did Ronnie revert to the pills she had brought with her from Idris that was given to her by the Silent Brothers.

Kicking off her shoes to the side, Ronnie pulled back her covers and slowly sank into the comfort of her bed and slowly closed her eyes as she felt the pills fully take effect.

 _Besides the blood rushing through her ears, the only other thing that Ronnie could hear was her hard breath desperately pushing through her lungs. Her hands gripped tightly to the throwing blades in her grasp. She turned the corner quickly and pressed her back against the wall and rested her hands atop her knees as she heard the flames growing closer and closer. She looked up, her brown eyes searched through the darkness, but finding nothing._

" _Rycard!" She screamed out against the coarseness of her throat as the thick smoke started to surround her._

 _Ronnie pushed off the wall and started running through the hall and looking for her team, screams coming from what seemed like everywhere. Ronnie halted in her tracks as a large beam crashed down in front of her in flames. It was like slowly the building started to grumble apart around her and she was trapped inside with no way out._

" _Rycard!" She screamed out again with desperation. "Rycard! Please!"_

 _The smoke began to choke her as violet coughs started to take over her body, her hand reaching down to pull the end of her shirt over her mouth. Slowly unconsciousness won the battle as the darkness washed over her._

Jace stopped in his tracks as he heard the screams coming from across the halls. The were screams of pain, of dying, and he immediately knew who they were coming from. He shot up from his bed and raced quickly across the hall, ripping her door nearly off before running into her bedroom. Ronnie was thrashing and whimpering around on her bed when he walked through her door. Without a second though Jace climbed onto the bed and wrapped his arms around her, bringing her against his bare chest.

"Ronnie, hey hey Ronnie" Jace whispered softly as he cradled her into his arms.

Slowly her whimpers began to soften as she unconsciously nestled into his arms. Jace whispered to her softly as she began to calm down, before moving to bend his head down and place a soft kiss on her forehead without thought.

"I've got you." Jace gently began to rock her back and forth, his lips pressed against her forehead.

Jace held onto her tightly and moved to lay back against the headboard of her bed and pulled the covers over them slightly before returning his arms back around her. A soft whimper sounded from her lips as his arms returned back to her.

"Jace." She whispered softly in her sleep. "Jace save me."

He froze slightly in his position before his eyes moved down to look towards her and saw that she was still asleep. His heart seemed the lurch at the sight of her and tightened his hold around her even more.

Hours later Isabelle walked back into her apartment after a long patrolling mission. As she walked towards her bedroom she stopped in her tracks as her eyes slowly moved to into her sisters bedroom, a small smile coasting across her lips at the sight before her. Jace and Ronnie tucked into her bed wrapped in each others arms and sleeping soundly. Isabelle knew of her sister's nightmares and knew of the screaming fits that she would wake up in from those nightmares. And to see how peaceful and serene she looked sleeping in Jace's arms made her happy.

"Now if only you two would just admit your feelings for each other." Isabelle whispered before reaching and shutting the door.

Ronnie jumped slightly from the sound of the door closing, before slowly realizing the position she had been sleeping in. Slowly her eyes moved up Jace's bare chest before settling on his face. She reached up and caressed his cheek softly and smiled slightly. Jace moaned softly in his sleep before slowly starting to wake up and his eyes immediately connected with hers.

"Mmm," He shifted slightly before looking down towards her. "You sleep ok?"

Ronnie slowly nodded her head. "I did. When did you come in here? Why did you come in here?"

"You were screaming again. I could hear you from my room and I was worried and scared for you." Jace reached up and brushed her hair from her face. "Hearing you in that much pain...I can't take it. I needed to make sure you were ok."

"Jace." She whispered softly and sat up slowly moving out of his arms and sitting beside him.

He looked towards her before speaking "What are the nightmares of? To cause that pain, Ron."

Biting down on her lower lip before slowly shaking her head. "I trust you, Jace. I do. But that time on that mission was a dark time for me and it's too hard to think about. Let alone talk about."

Jace nodded his head and sighed softly before moving to bring her back against his chest. The moment she was away he felt the ache start to build in his chest and uncomfortable feeling coming with it.

"Just know you can come to me about anything." Ronnie nodded her head slightly.

"I'm sorry to worry you. Just Alec told me mom and dad are coming and I just needed," She paused "To relax. And I'm glad that you come to my rescue."

"I always will, Ron. I always will."

* * *

 **AN: Thank you for reading. Thank you for reviewing and alerting, it means a lot to me knowing that someone out there likes what I'm putting out there. Please continue to do so cause it helps me write and want to keep putting things out for you. The next few chapters things are gonna slowly start to build before Clary is introduced and I'm giving a warning now I'm not the biggest Clary fan. Book Clary I like but have never loved movie/tv show Clary. I'm gonna play off that feeling more now just so any Clary can know that. ~ CB**


	8. Veronica Lightwood

**Eight**

 **Veronica Lightwood**

I sighed softly as I brushed my hair back from my face into a tight top knot, before stepping away from my bathroom mirror and back to my bedroom. Laying across my bed was the outfit I had laid out before I had stepped into the shower early this morning. My nerves were already shot and my parents hadn't even gotten here yet, and I knew that was the first sign that today wasn't going to be a good day. The only thing I could hope for was that a mission would come before they got here – so that I wouldn't be any where near the institute.

"You ready?" Isabelle asked as she walked into my room, her long black hair down her back and red lipstick on her lips.

With a shaky breath I nodded my head and turned with my back to face her. "Will you do my dress up?"

Isabelle walked towards me and quickly did up my black mid-dress that was paired with black heeled booties. When I turned around I was finally able to see her outfit in it's entirety, she stood tall in her usual black heels and black leather pants and long sleeved shirt that was low cut.

"You know what mom is gonna say if she see's you in that." I spoke before grabbing a silver choker and putting it on.

"I plan on staying far away from mom the moment she get's here." Isabelle smirked as she moved to take a seat at the end of my bed. "I don't really understand why she is even coming here. It's not like we need them. Even as headmaster we've been able to run this institute while she's been in Idris just fine."

"I have a feeling this visit has everything to do with me, and nothing about what's going on here." I stood in front of my closet mirror and double checked over my outfit. "I don't think mom trusts the fact that I am alone and out of her grasp."

Isabelle frowned and stood to stand beside me and grabbed my shoulders so that I was facing her. She gently moved her hand up to tuck a few stray strands behind my ears.

"Put on the diamond studs you got from Grandma Lightwood." Isabelle smiled

I nodded my head and walked over to my jewelry box and put the studs on before grabbing sister's hand as we left out of our apartment.

"Wanna tell me why I saw you and Jace cuddling in bed earlier today?" Isabelle asked as we walked down the hall towards the Ops floor.

I could feel the heat of my blush crawling up my chest and neck before settling on my cheeks. Isabelle looked towards me and shook her head before speaking.

"Come on you have to give me something. You two have been dancing around each other ever since you got here." She teased "One second he's acting like he hates you, and now he's cuddling you after you've had a nightmare. This is the same thing that's been happening since you two were kids."

"We haven't been doing anything." I spoke shyly. "Jace and I are...I don't know."

"Just admit you love each other so this awkward dance that you're doing can stop." Isabelle sighed dramatically

"I don't..."

Before I could even finish the sentence Isabelle stopped us both in the middle of the hallway and had me face her, her heels giving her the slight advantage to tower over me.

"Look, you're my big sister and I love you but I swear sometimes it's me that has to be doing the advice giving." She smiled. "You do love him. You have loved him since we were kids and everyone can see that. I think mom and dad even saw that, and that being the real reason you were selected to leave and go on the mission the Clave sent you on."

"What do you mean?"

"You and Jace together would be the biggest thing to happen within our even Idris. The two of you together would be the strongest force together. Dad always taught us during training that emotions made us weak. But his eldest daughter was falling in love in front of his eyes with the boy that lived with us and I think that scared him."

"Why do you think that?" I asked looking up towards her confused.

"Because the emotions didn't make you weak, Ronnie. They made you and Jace strong. Stronger that any of us. Any of the other Shadowhunters in Idris and that scared our parents and the Clave."

From down the hall I could hear footsteps approaching us, and when I looked down past Isabelle's shoulders – both Alec and Jace were walking towards us quickly.

"Mom and Dad are here." Alec sighed and looked between us both, before his eyes settled on me. "Mom's already demanding to see you in the headmaster's office."

"Shit," Isabelle cursed before looking back towards me. "You've got this ok. Don't sweat it ok?"

I nodded my head nervously. Before turning to head back down the hallway, but with Jace standing directly in front of me.

"I'll walk with you." He smiled gently.

* * *

"You feeling better?" Jace asked after we'd walk down the corridor more.

"Yeah." I sighed softly. "I don't know why I'm so nervous about this. It's like I know something bad is about to come out of this."

I take a deep breath before turning the last corner towards the double doors of the headmaster's office came into view. Jace walked behind me as we neared the door, but both stopped quickly in our tracks as the sounds of shouting and yelling grew louder.

"We can't do this again! How many times must I tell you, Maryse!" my father, Robert, screamed.

"We don't have much time to think." My mother spoke in a calmer voice. "If the rumors are true and he is back we need our best fighters and no one is better than her. You know this."

I grabbed Jace's hand tightly and moved to stand on the other side of the doorway, out of the way so neither of them would see us. His body pressed tightly to mine as he stood behind me, the soft hum between us returning and calming down my nerves. Jace pressed his chest tighter against my back as the voices grew louder.

"I don't care!" A loud bang sounded causing me to jump, Jace moving to wrap a protective arm around my waist. "We are not pitting our daughter on another one of your dream missions. This happened on her last one, and it's only going to make her state of mind worse! Is that what you want!"

"What is he talking about?" Jace whispered softly in my ear.

"My mission in Casamore." I frowned "But I don't know what else he's talking about. I was told that was a mission from the Clave. Not my mother."

"She is ready. The Silent Brother's have given her the right treatment and wouldn't have released her if she wasn't fully well." Maryse spoke with more anger in her voice. "We need her. We need to act as if all these rumors are true before we regret it! Valentine might be back and we need our children to be prepared for the fight."

Both our backs straightened as the name was sliced through the air with such venom and anger. Jace reached his hand down and grabbed my hand and slowly started to pull me away from the door, before we found ourselves back in the Ops main floor.

"Izzy! Alec!" Jace spoke as we approached them, before turning his head towards the small arch towards the back corridor towards our apartments.

We walked quickly wit my brother and sister following behind us, before Jace opened his apartment door and rushing us all inside. I moved towards the window and looked down through the gardens as my mind tried to process what I had just heard.

"What's wrong?" Alec spoke from behind me.

"Your mom and dad aren't here to check on the institute." Jace spoke "They are here to see if your sister is ready to leave for a mission again."

"What!?" Isabelle spoke with both shock and anger. "No! They can't we just got her back."

"If it helps dad's against it." I sighed softly before turning around slowly to face my family. "Mom want's me to start getting ready for a impending battle that she thinks is true."

"What battle?" Alec walked closer to me, a worried look on his face.

"There is a rumor." I started "Mom thinks that it's true. Apparently Valentine is back."

"You're kidding me?" Isabelle whispered softly before I slowly shook my head.

"If the rumor's are true then we're all going to battle." Alec spoke

"You're not leaving us, you just got back. We just got you back." Isabelle spoke, her voice cracking slightly as tears started to well up in her eyes. I walked towards my sister quickly and wrapped my arms around her tightly and held her.

"I'm not going anywhere," I whispered softly "I'm not leaving you."

Isabelle wrapped her arms around my middle and held me tightly as my hand ran through her hair gently, trying my best to calm her down slowly.

"We have a bigger problem on our hand if what your parents are saying are true." Jace spoke. "Valentine."

I looked over my sister's shoulders towards him and nodded my head, before slowly pulling out of Isabelle's embrace. "Whatever happens, we're gonna face it together. Like we always do."

* * *

I paced back and forth slowly along the cobblestone of the back garden outside the institute, my hands nearly wringing themselves raw as the conversation I overheard played over and over inside my head. A deep heavy sigh passed through my lips before I moved to take a seat on a small bench in the center.

"I had a feeling you'd be out here." I looked up as Alec walked towards me. "Avoiding Mom and Dad?"

"You could say that." I chuckled nervously "They looking for me?"

Alec shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't know, I'm doing the exact same." I laughed softly as he took a seat down beside me. "You ok?"

"Yes." I paused. "No. Not really."

"Jace told me about the conversation you heard from mom and dad. Wanna talk about it?." Alec reached over and grabbed my hand gently, having me turn my gaze towards him.

I sighed "I was told that I was sent on a mission for the Clave. But dad made it sound like it was all mom's idea. And then Izzy said something earlier and now my head is spinning"

"Like?"

"Izzy say's mom and dad sent me away cause they saw my...emotions as making me too strong." I bite my lower lip. "And now dad is accusing mom of pushing me onto things because it's something she dreamed of."

"That does sound like mom." Alec agreed "Mom's always treated your life as her own, making you do things that she saw were best for her, more than for you."

"Well that just makes the pain that I went through even more worthless."

"What pain." Alec asked, his face looking down towards me with both confusion and concern.

"I-I..." I hesitate "The mission that I was away on wasn't exactly the safest." I pulled my hand away from Alec's slowly and slowly wrapped my arms around myself. "As you know I was sent Casamore, with another Shadowhunter Rycard. It was a rescue mission. We went in alone, with just ourselves, against army of Fire Demons that were holding civilian as hostages for feedings." I took a few deep breaths "And everything was going as planned, and we got most of the hostages out...till one of the demons found us and started to attack. The entire building was up in flames before one of us could stop it. We got split up, and I was trapped inside." Alec moved closer and wrapped his arm around me. "I felt like I was on fire. My lung were filling with smoke and I couldn't find a way out. And then the screams happened. People dying. Children dying."

"Veronica you know that wasn't your fault."

"It doesn't matter." I snap my eyes towards him "I could've done something. But I didn't. I was trapped inside and the building was crashing down around me. I felt like I was burning from the inside out, and then just when I thought I was gonna die in there I was outside of the building. I-I don't know how I got there, but before I could run back int the building and get Rycard or anyone else the building crumbled to ash before my eyes."

Alec waited a moment before grabbing my hand again. "Veronica, listen to me, you did nothing wrong. You did everything you were trained supposed to do during a mission. Sometimes we lose missions, but all we can do is try our hardest and I didn't need to be there to know you did exactly that."

"I can't stop hearing the screams." I whisper softly as I feel my voice tighten as the tears started. "Every time I go to sleep I live that night over and over again, no matter what I try to do, they get louder."

Alec reached up and wipes the tears from my cheek and slowly wipes away the tears. His arms wrapped around me tightly and held me tightly against his chest.

"I've got you. I've got you." Alec whispered softly "We'll figure this out, together. We always do. But when something is wrong you've gotta tell me, Ron. We are twins. I can feel and read you better than anyone."

I sniffle slightly and nod my head before slowly pulling away. "I'm sorry for not telling you."

"Don't be sorry." Alec smiled. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

 **Please leave a review -CB**


	9. Nerves

**Nine**

Veronica let out a struggled moan as her back hit against the mat, her body tensing slightly before relaxing. Her sides, back and arms hurt from the hard work out Hodge was pushing her with. He walked towards her and reach down to pull her up from the mat before taking a step away from her. His face scanned down over body looking for any injury, before looking towards her face.

"We should really stop." Hodge spoke softly, before using his stele to activate his healing rune for the blows Veronica was able to hit against his body.

"I-I can keep going." Veronica panted softly before brushing the few strands that had fallen out of her ponytail and into her face.

Hodge laughed and shook his head "No. We are pushing too hard and I don't wanna keep going too far. We both know you don't need more training, Veronica."

She sighs heavily and walked over to the shelf on the left side of the room, quickly grabbing the tape and started to wrap her knuckles. Hodge sighed softly and grabbed his water before walking across the room back towards her.

"Something wrong?" Hodge asked "You seem to be a bit in your head."

She bit her lip softly before looking up towards her mentor. "Just worried I guess. My mother's visit wasn't exactly a pleasant one. All I did was avoid the woman so I didn't have to hear or speak to her."

"I have noticed." He laughed "Your mother didn't seem to happy about it either. She was hoping to sit down and have a conversation with you."

"Trust me, I had already heard everything she had to say when she spoke with my father." Veronica sighed softly and taped up her other hand before stepping back. "Now I'm gonna go and hit this punching bag, you gonna hold it and keep training me?"

Hodge looked down towards the young girl in front of him, seeing in her eyes that she needed this distraction. He'd been there before, when you're desperate to escape away from your thoughts and just need a moment away from them. If training was going to be her outlet, then he was gonna make sure to be there for her.

* * *

With her legs shaking slightly from the adrenaline of her work out slowly wearing off, Veronica slowly walked back to her apartment to take a shower. A hand reached up and pushed the rest of her hair from her face, before walking through the door of her apartment and directly towards her bathroom. She stripped down quickly and grabbed a towel before turning the water on. Veronica stayed under the water for a moment to let the hot water cascade over her tired body. What felt like hours to her, Veronica washed up her body and stepped out of the shower, before wrapping a towel tightly around her body.

A loud gasp leaves her lips after stepping into her bedroom, her hand moving up quickly to grasp the top of her towel, as she spotted Jace sitting at the end of her bed.

"By the Angels, Jace!" She screamed slightly. "What are you doing in here."

Jace stared at her with wide eyes for a moment, before standing quickly and turning his back to her.

"I-I'm sorry. I was told you were gonna be here by Hodge and wanted to ask you a question."

"You couldn't hear the shower running and decided to not wait inside my bedroom?" She sighed softly before walking to grab her robe off the back of her chair and quickly put it on with Jace's back to her.

"I-I'm sorry." He whispered softly again. Jace slowly turned back around to face her after knowing she was covered. "I...um...wanted to ask you to come out on a mission with Alec, Isabelle and myself. There is a demon sighting in Brooklyn that hunting through-out nightclubs. We were hoping you'd come with us."

"Yeah." She nods her head and holds her robe tightly against her chest. "When are we leaving? What kind of demon is it?"

"Ravenor demon." Jace crossed his arms over his chest and looked down towards his feet. "Alec and Izzy want to do a little more patrolling before we fully take it down. You in?"

Veronica nodded her head "Yeah I'm in. We starting tonight?"

"Yeah." Jace looked back towards her and began to fidget with his hands. "Um...g-gonna head out and patrol for a while. Meet you in the foyer?"

Veronica nodded her head before he quickly slipped out of the bedroom. After closing the door tightly behind him, Jace cursed low beneath his breath as he walked towards the living room and began to pace slowly. He shook his hands out slightly and let out a deep breath. He couldn't understand why nerves were running through his body.

Jace knew it had nothing to do with the mission, but more to do with the girl in the room behind him.

* * *

Veronica walked along the same pace as Jace as they walked down along the street, their glamour letting them walk among the mundane, as they patrolled through Brooklyn. Jace's eyes scanned around the streets, keeping his attention on anything beside Veronica beside him. The nerves were back and no matter how hard he tried his heart was pounding hard against his chest. Alec and Isabelle were patrolling the streets from the the rooftops to be the eyes above.

"Are you ok?" Veronica spoke softly from beside him "You seem distracted."

"I'm fine." Jace answered quickly "Just wanna find this demon."

She rolled her eyes slightly and grabbing his hand to make him turn towards her. "Jace I know you better than you think and I know what you just said is a lie."

"No it's not." He spoke defensively.

"Jace." She spoke with a little more force in her tone. "I have known you since were kids. I know when something is up. Now tell me."

Jace hesitated for a moment before grabbing her hand and pulling her down the alleyway where he knew Alec and Isabelle wouldn't be able to see them. Veronica protested slightly as he nearly dragged her down the poorly lit alleyway.

"Jace!" Veronica protested slightly before Jace let go of her hand and turned around to face her. "What are you doing?"

"You wanna know why I'm acting weird?" He stared down towards her, taking a step closer. "You are, Ronnie."

"Me?"

"Yes! You! Ever since you came back it's like I don't know how to act around you. As hard as I fucking try I can't."

Veronica frowned slightly "I thought we were past this?"

Jace sighed heavily and ran his hand through his blond hair and tugs on it slightly, slowly turning away from her.

"That's not what I'm talking about." Jace whispered

"Then tell me. Explain it to me, Jace. Because I can tell something is going on. You're fidgety and avoid eye contact with me. And I'm not the only one to see it."

"I-I can't...I can't put words onto how I feel. I know what I feel but its like if I try putting words to it..."

He paused for a moment and shakes his head. Jace looked back towards her for a moment before taking a few steps back to her. He reaches forward and caresses her cheek for a moment, his blue eyes boring into hers, before bending forward and kissing her deeply. A soft moan sounded as Jace kissed her, slowly backing her towards the wall behind her. Veronica didn't respond for a moment, before wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer. His hands moved down to grasp her waist before wrapping his arms around her, his chest pressed tightly against hers. They stood there in the alleyway with the rest of the world silenced around them. Jace's mind went blank the moment his lips touched hers, every nervous, anxious and fearful voice in his head seemed to disappear. Jace slowly, and reluctantly, pulled away from Veronica.

"Jace," She whispered against his lips as she panted slightly from the kiss.

His arms stayed wrapped around her as his eyes stayed connected with hers. "That's the only thing I could think of to show you. To tell you."

Jace stepped away slowly before pulling away and quickly walking out of the alley and back onto the streets. She watched him with confusion, with more questions going through her mind than having any answers at all.

 **Please leave a review/comment if you are enjoying or not. ~ CB**


	10. Emotions

**Ten**

I walked quickly back into the streets of Brooklyn after the shock of Jace's kiss slowly started to wear off. As I stepped back into the street I looked around trying to look for any sign of Jace – but he was no where in sight.

"Veronica!" I looked across the street to see my brother walking towards me with a worried look on his face. "Where did you go off to?"

"W-What?"

"You and Jace disappeared out of sight. Izzy and I got worried when we couldn't find you."

"Uh, y-yeah." I nodded my head and looked back down the street to once again try and find Jace. "Where's Jace?"

"Heading towards Pandemonium, Izzy is with him. I stayed behind to make sure that you were ok." Alec caressed my cheek and had me look up towards him. "Are you sure you're ok? You look..."

"I-I'm fine." I interrupted him and stepped back away from him, "Let's catch up with them."

I quickly turned on my heel and started down towards the club to catch up with Jace and my sister. I could feel Alec following behind me as we made our way down the crowded street. The sensation of Jace's kiss was still on my lips. It was like my mind was still in shock but the electric charge he left behind was still going through my body.

* * *

A heavy sigh passed through my lips as I stood on the rooftop beside my sister, my eyes moving through the crowd in front of the club for any sign of the demon. Isabelle stood beside me on the ledge with her whip tight in her grasp, ready for any sort of action in case the demon was spotted. I rolled my eyes as watched another group of drunk guys stumble their way out of the club.

"You've been pretty quite. You ok?" Isabelle asked with our eyes still on the front.

I hesitated "I don't know how feel to be honest."

"Something happen with Jace?" I looked up towards her quickly. "I can tell something did. Jace seemed tense when he walked out of they alleyway. You two fight again?"

I quickly shook my head "No. Not a fight."

"Then what. All he did was stomp away and tell me to leave him alone."

A moment of silence passed between us before I spoke. "Jace kissed me."

"What!" Isabelle nearly screamed and looked towards me with wide eyes. "He kissed you! What!?"

"Shut up." I pulled her away from the edge of the rooftop.

"We have a glamour on no one can hear us or see us. Don't tell me to shut up. You just told me Jace kissed you."

I rolled my eyes as she continued to talk.

"Finally something happened between you two." Isabelle threw her hands up in the air. "I was starting to think that I was crazy."

"Isabelle. Please." I sighed heavily "I don't know what to think with this. He'd been acting all weird again and I asked him why. I wasn't expecting him to kiss me."

"I'm glad he did. I was ready to make you two do something by locking you in a room."

"Can you be serious for just one second? My mind is going at a pace that I can't keep up with right now."

"Ok. Ok. Sorry." Isabelle walked closer to me and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "What are you feeling right now?"

"Confused." I paused to think for a moment. "Happy. Afraid."

"Ok." She smiled

"I-I want it to happen again," I confess with a small whisper. "It happened so fast I wasn't really able to react."

Isabelle made a small happy noise as a smile spread across her lips. "I can't believe this is finally happening. Oh, does Alec know?" I shook my head "And you can't tell him. Promise me. I will tell him."

"Maybe Jace already has? I mean they are parabatai, I'm sure Alec felt something."

A small groan passed my lips before I walked back towards the edge of the rooftop.

* * *

The patrol ended shortly after the club closed with no sign of the demon. We all headed back to the institute, with Jace not looking towards me or speaking to me the entire time. He kept close to Alec as we walked back before turning down the hall back towards his apartment. I stood in the doorway as he walked down the hallway as Isabelle moved to stand beside me.

"Go and talk to him." She whispered softly before walking towards the Ops floor for the debrief.

I hesitated for a moment before following behind him. His apartment door was closed tightly and I could hear the soft piano music coming from behind the door. I didn't even bother to knock as I reached for the handle and opened the door quickly. The warmth of his apartment welcomed me as I closed the door behind me. The musky scent of the candles that burned on the mantle reminded me quickly of Jace. It felt comforting. I walked further in before following the music down the small hallway and into his bedroom. His back was to me as he sat on the edge of his bed and the record player played off in the corner. My eyes scanned over his bare back as I watched the muscles flex beneath his ivory skin. I bite my lower lip slightly before reaching up and knocking on the ajar door. His eyes quickly wiped around to meet with mine, before he stood quickly from his bed. My eyes moved away from his before they slowly began to move down his sculpted chest.

"I-I was hoping we could talk." I spoke softly as my eyes moved back to his face.

"Yeah." Jace hesitated for a moment "Come on in,"

I quickly around the bed and moved to take a seat as he sat back down to his bed. He fidgeted slightly before his eyes looked back up towards me.

"Look...I-I'm sorry for what I did." Jace started "I don't know what came over me."

"Jace. Please you don't have to apologize." I reached over and grabbed his hand tightly to stop his fidgeting. I could feel the nerves running through his body. "I know the feeling that you were talking about...earlier."

"You do?"

I nodded my head. "I feel it too. Have for a long time."

I looked down towards our hands and gently moved my fingers against the top of his hand. I could feel Jace watching me, before he moved closer to me. I could feel his breath caressing against my face and neck.

"It scares me." He whispered softly.

"It scares me too." I look back towards him. "Isabelle explains in as being something strong that we shouldn't be fighting it any more. I think she's right."

"Ronnie." He closed his eyes "Emotions make us weak. W-We can't."

"Shh," I bring my finger to his lips to silence him, "Emotions can make us strong too."

I moved my hand to caress his cheek, before leaning forward and pressing my lips against his softly. Jace stiffened against me for a moment, before his arm slowly moved around my back and pulled me closer to him. Slowly the kiss began to deepen before Jace slowly pulled away.

"Where do we go from here?" He whispered softly against my hips, his hold around my waist pulling my chest closer to his.

"We'll figure this out together." I caressed his cheek softly. "But this feeling between us can't be ignored Jace. Not any more."

 ** _AN: Please leave a review._**


	11. Fairchild

**Eleven**

Veronica sat at her desk on the Ops floor and looked over the evidence and paper work from their last mission. The demon was never caught and the hunt for it would have to start back up again. Already two mundanes were missing and everything lead to this demon. She let out a soft sigh and ran her fingers through her long ebony hair as she turned the page in the evidence folder. She smelled it before it placed directly in front of her, a fresh hot cup of black coffee. Quickly her eyes moved away from the page and towards the person that placed it down in front of her. A smile started to spread across Veronica's face as her brown eye's met with Jace's blue.

"You looked like you were seconds away from using that folder as a pillow." Jace chuckled softly before grabbing a chair from the desk beside her and sitting down.

"I was. Thank you." She greedily grabbed the ceramic mug and took a generous sip, ignoring the slight burning sensation on her tongue as she drank the dark, caffeinated liquid. She always knew if the burned tongue bothered her too much she'd use her healing rune. "I can't seem to find the motive for this demon. It's like they are just doing it for fun and nothing more."

"Wouldn't be the first time a demon killed mundanes for the fun of it." Jace sighed softly and grabbed a lose piece a paper from the desk.

"When are you guys leaving for the second patrol?"

"About an hour. Sure you don't want to come with us?" Veronica shook her head slowly before taking another drink of the coffee. "I have to stay here and finish off paperwork. It's my turn, Isabelle already covered me that last few times."

Jace sighed softly before moving his chair closer and grabbed her hands after she dropped her mug onto her desk. His hands rubbed gently over the backs of her hands before looking up towards her.

"Will you come to my place tonight?" He whispered softly.

"Why are you whispering like you have a secret to keep." Veronica smiled before leaning forward slightly to place a chaste kiss on his lips.

Jace froze for a moment before pulling her closer to him and deepening the kiss slightly. It had been days since they both had finally given into what was happening between them. Neither of them wanted to place a label to it, or even tried to, with the fear of the feeling still under the surface. Slowly Jace began to pull away from the kiss, but not shortening the distance between them by much.

"Not a secret. Just private." He whispered softly, before bringing her hands to his lips and kissing the back of them. "But will you? I wanna spend some time with you without the prying eyes of the institute."

"Of course." She smiled and pulled her hands away before reaching up and caressing his cheek softly. "Now go and get ready before Alec comes stomping down here and drags you away."

Jace laughed before nodding his head and standing from his seat, before bending down and kissing her cheek, before leaving out of the Ops room. Hours ticked by slowly as she worked over the evidence in front of her, before giving up at one point in the late hours.

* * *

Veronica let the towel slip down onto the floor before walking across her room and grabbing a comfortable pair of clothes before slipping them on. As the night grew later, she began to worry slightly since she hadn't heard anything from Alec, Isabelle or Jace all night from the communication log. Her hair was quickly pulled into a tight bun, before leaving her room to head towards Jace's apartment. But when she stepped out into her living room she was shocked to see Isabelle sitting on the couch and taking off her boots.

"You're back. When did you get back?" Veronica asked in confusion.

"Hours ago. I just got done with the debriefing." Isabelle looked back over her shoulders and looked towards her sister.

"I've been worried when I didn't hear anything back from you. How did everything go?"

Isabelle sighed softly. "I'm only going to say this cause you're my sister, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Understand?"

"Of course." Veronica moved to take a seat beside her sister.

"When we were out on patrol today, we found a girl." Isabelle started to explain "We had our glamour on but she was able to see Jace. She followed us into the club where we tracked the demon and was able to see everything."

Veronica looked towards her sister with confusion. "She had the sight?"

Isabelle shrugged her shoulders. "After the demon was handled in the club, Jace and Alec went to go and track her down and find out more."

"Have you heard anything from them?" Veronica asked, her sister quickly shaking her head. "I'm gonna go and wait for them in the foyer."

Veronica stood quickly and was followed by her sister as they made their way through the halls and towards the front of the institution. As she walked down the steps she was welcomed by the sigh of Alec rushing towards the door with a redheaded girl draped in Jace's arms.

"What the hell?" Veronica spoke causing both of the Shadowhunters to stop in their tracks and look towards her with wide eyes.

* * *

Veronica paced back in forth as she watched Isabelle tend to the wounds on the girl that laid unconscious across the cot. She could hear Jace and Alec speaking softly in the corner, as her eyes stayed on the girl in front of her.

"Where did you find her?" She asked cutting the conversation going on behind her. Slowly Jace and Alec stepped closer to her.

"Her apartment." Jace spoke "I wanted to know how she was able to see us through the glamour. We know every Shadowhunter, but we don't know her."

"What happened?"

"Demon attack." Veronica turned her gaze towards Jace, but frowned when she saw his eyes focused solely n the girl in front of him.

Jace stepped forward and sat down on the cot beside Isabelle and the girl, his gaze fixated like he was hypnotized. Alec looked towards his sister and could see the confusion and hurt slowly starting to take over her features. Isabelle finished cleaning up the girls wounds before gathering everything up.

"She should be fine now." Isabelle sighed "She took to the healing rune and should be waking up soon."

"I-I'll go to the library and see if anything comes up about the Fairchilds." Alec spoke slowly backing out of the room, the tension growing inside becoming too much.

Isabelle looked back towards Jace and watched as he moved closer to the girl, brushing back from hair from her face. Her frowned deepened as she looked back towards her sister and could see the heartbroken look on her face. She quickly set down the things in her hand before grabbing her sister's hand.

"Come on, let's go and help Alec." Isabelle whispered and slowly pulled her sister out of the room.

Veronica didn't know what to feel. She knew that it was irrational to over think everything that was happening – but at the same time she knew Jace. Jace didn't care for anyone outside of her and her siblings and parents. Now he was seeming showing worry and slight affection towards a girl that somehow, and possible, have the Sight. She wanted to give Jace the benefit of the doubt and to not jump to conclusions – but she'd be a fool to ignore what was happening in front of her. The feeling forming in the pit of Veronica's stomach was worry and it couldn't be ignored.

* * *

"What do we even know about this girl? Jace brought danger to the Institution with bringing her here." Alec ranted as he searched through the records in the library. "For all we know this girl is a mundane and Jace didn't have his glamour on like he think he did."

"She took to the Rune, Alec. That can't be ignored." Isabelle spoke from his left.

"Maybe she got lucky." He sighed "We still don't know what we're getting into, and what this could mean if anyone found out we brought an outside into the Institution."

Veronica sat in silence at the small table that sat on the opposite side of the library, her fingers mindlessly fidgeting with her stele as a million things began to run through her mind. Isabelle sighed and shook her head, before turning her attention away from her brother and back towards her sister. She walked over and took a seat beside her sister.

"Everything ok?" Isabelle whispered softly, catching Veronica's attention.

Veronica shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know what to feel right now. Jace's reaction to this weird to say the least."

"I'm sure it's just..." Isabelle struggled to find the correct word "Intriguing."

Veronica sighed softly "He hasn't even talked to me since he's gotten back. We finally decided to stop ignoring what's going on between us. He was begging for me to come and meet with him after the mission."

"Boys are confusing." Isabelle rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Don't over think it too much. Ok?"

Veronica nodded her head and smiled towards her sister. Her and Jace haven't put a label on was happening between them – but it something that unspoken. She'd never felt like this with someone and she couldn't help but feel like this girl coming into the institute was about to make thing more complicated between her and Jace.

AN: Sorry for the late balancing school and work life seems to be a bit challenging this semester. Thank you so much for the reviews and alerts – they really keep me going in wanting to update for you guys. Please keep sending them in – I love knowing what you guys think ~CB


	12. City of Bones

**Twelve**

Veronica held tightly to the sleeves of her sweater as she walked down the hall away from the library. She walked down the hallway towards her bedroom, her heart feeling heavier and heavier with each step. The night grew later and later with each tick of the clock but Jace hadn't moved away from the Fairchild girls bed side. When she turned around the final corridor to her apartment, she heard her name being called from behind her. When she turned around she came face to face with Isabelle.

"She woke up." Isabelle panted softly as she ran towards her sister.

"And?" Veronica sighed as she looked towards her sister. "You guys don't need my help with anything. Seems Jace has it all covered."

"Don't be like that." Her sister sighed softly and reached down to grab her sister's hand.

"Like what?" Veronica reached up and pushed her hair from her face. "It's been twelve hours and Jace still hasn't come to see me. He can't peel himself away from her. It's like shes a magnet to him."

Veronica turned away from her sister and slowly walked back toward her room. Her heart in her stomach as she walked through her door and closed it tightly behind her. Slowly she began to undress before moving to her bed and laying down, tucking her pillow tightly as the tears slowly started to stream down her cheeks.

* * *

Veronica woke up the next morning with a hard pounding in her head, before slowly rising out of bed. She pulled hair long black hair from her face, before slipping on a pair of black jeans and a black top. After slipping on her boots and grabbing a quick breakfast, Veronica walked out o her apartment and towards the Ops floor. Already the Institute was buzzing with morning activity as people started their routine. She grabbed the dragonfly glass capsule from her pocket and took a pill, before taking her seat at her desk.

"Where have you been?" Alec rushed down the steps towards her desk before leaning against it. "You disappeared."

"You seemed to be able t handle everything. Didn't think you needed me any more." She sighed before taking another pill.

Alec looked down towards his sister and grabbed the dragonfly glass from her hand. "You're taking these again?"

"It's nothing." She reached to snatch the capsule from his hand, but he was too quick for her. "Just couldn't sleep much and my head is killing me is all. Now, can I have that back please?"

Alec hesitantly looked down towards his sister before looking back towards the pills. He knew the back story for them. Knew the Silent Brothers were the one to give them to her. But he also knew what they did to her over time. Made her numb. Emotionless. He hesitated for a moment longer before placing them back down into her hand.

"Thank you." She whispered before slipping them into her pocket. "How did the rest of last night go?"

"Fine. Hodge interviewed the girl last night once she was up and coherent. We found out her mother is Jocelyn Fairchild and she was once part of the Circle. Valentine is supposedly dead, but apparently those that broke into her apartment and kidnapped her mother are Circle members." Alec explained "Hodge is alerting the Clave, making sure we put enough alert that the Circle members might be uprising again."

"Fuck" Veronica sighed "I over heard mother saying their were whispers about Valentine and how we need to prepare for war."

"So you think it's true?"

"Do we have any other reasons not to?" Veronica looked up towards her little brother. "Where are Isabelle and Jace now?"

"Weapons room with the girl and mundane that followed us."

"Mundane? What the hell."

Veronica moved quickly up from his seat and quickly walked towards the weapons room. As they walked Alec filled her in on the rest of what had happened the rest of the night. Veronica walked towards the group that stood towards the weapons closet preparing for a mission.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Veronica spoke as she walked into the room.

"We need to search for her warlock. Her memories are block." Jace spoke as he turned towards Veronica.

"You get access from the Clave for this so called mission?" She asked folding her hands over her chest. "I'm gonna guess not. Right?"

"We need to do this to see what is going on. To understand if Valentine is truly back and what he is after." Jace walked towards her.

He could see the anger in her eyes. They glared towards him, but with every glance towards Clary, the anger and hate seemed to only deepen. He stepped towards Veronica and gently grabbed her hand, slowly pulling her away from the group, and towards the other side of the room.

"We need to do this, Ronnie. We can't wait for the Clave to approve mission after mission. I'm sure once we uncover what is going on and they aren't gonna care about that." Jace whispered

"So sure are you?" She chuckled with false humor and shook her head. "I'm surprised you're able to get Alec to agree to this."

"He's not exactly agreeing. Which is why I'm sure he went and got you." Jace looked over her face before reaching up and caressing her cheek softly. "Please come with us, Ronnie."

She turned her head away from his hold before walking around him. Jace stood there for a moment, confusion clouding his mind on his coldness.

* * *

Veronica walked behind the rest of the group as they walked along the woods towards the Entrance to the City of Bones. Her heart raced against her chest as they grew closer and closer to the entrance. It was like her body knew that he was returning to an unhappy place for her.

"Whose going in with her?" Isabelle asked.

Before Jace could speak, Alec spoke before him. "I think Ronnie should go. She's been here with the Silent Brother before."

She scuffed and shook her head. "I'm not stepping anywhere in there."

"No, Alec has a point." Jace and turned towards Veronica. "You should go with us."

"Jace," She shook her head and looked towards him, trying to tell him with her eyes that she didn't want to go.

He stepped towards her. "Please. We could use you."

"No! I don't want a part of this Jace! I don't want a part of the Silent Brothers! I don't want a part of her." Sh reached her hand up quickly and pointed towards the redhead standing between her brother and sister. "You have brought this to us, assuming that we are gonna help you, Jace! Without thinking of the consequences."

"Ronnie." Jace frowned

"If you'd stop and think for just a moment," She calmed down and looked back towards Jace, her brown eyes locked with his. "You'd understand why I won't walk in there with you. Do you not remember what I told you about my last mission?"

"I-I do." Jace nodded his head.

"And who do you think treated me, Jace?"

Jace's frown deepened as he looked down towards her. He sighed softly and shook his head before taking a step closer. "I'm sorry. Ok? I-I just feel like I need to help her. Like I need to be the one to figure this all out."

"And what about us? Jace?" She whispered "This is the first time you've spoke to me since she came through the door."

"I-I" He opened his mouth multiple times before finally closing it.

"Go with her Jace." Veronica whispered softly "But I am not stepping in there."

Jace nodded his head before caressing the back of her head and moving down to press a kiss to her forehead. He took a step away from her before walking back towards the rest of them, guiding the girl into the entrance into the City of Bones. Isabelle walked towards her sister quickly, wrapping her arms around her and holding her close. Veronica hugged her sister back before taking a step away. She reached into her pocket and grabbed the same dragonfly capsule from before, taking two more pills and swallowing them quickly.

AN: Please leave a review! ~CB


	13. Fears

**Thirteen**

Jace slowly walked behind Clary through the dimly lit hallways of the City of Bones. The soft moaning in the far distance was always something to set the eerie tone through out the city, like the dark and damp passage ways didn't already do that. Setting a fear to sit heavy in your chest. In front of him, Clary walked with short and hesitant steps as they walked further and further towards the Silent Brothers.

Along with the fear, Jace couldn't help the guilt that was starting to form in his chest. To see the look on Veronica's face was heartbreaking – seeing the disappointment in her eyes. Jace hadn't realized what he was doing. Honestly he couldn't fully understand why he was acting the way that he was. But Jace also wasn't going to ignore the gut feeling that he needed to help this girl.

"How much longer?" Clary turned slightly to look back over her shoulder towards the boy behind her, her voice slightly shaky.

"Not much." Jace spoke, before sighing softly.

"Who is that girl?" Clary asked, falling more in line with Jace so he was beside her as they walked. "The one you talked to before we left."

"Veronica?" Clary nodded her head. "She's Alec's twin sister."

"Oh," Clary looked down before turning back towards Jace. "She doesn't seem to like my very much."

"Ronnie is very protective of her siblings and I. She doesn't want us to get into trouble or hurt in any way." Jace explained

He looked down towards the girl and smiled slightly, as they approached the large oak doors. Jace reached up and knocked twice on the doors, and soon they slowly began to open to a large open room. The two walked into the room to see the Silent Brothers standing around, each with a candle in hand. Jace looked up and saw the moon shining through the large glass ceiling.

"You ready?" Jace spoke softly as he looked towards Clary. Her large green eyes looks around the room and slowly nodded her head as she looked around the room in front of her.

* * *

Veronica let out a heavy sigh as she slowly paced back and forth in front of the van where her sister and Clary's friend sat. A few yards away her brother did the same to patrol the other side. Her eyes scanned over the vast open area in front of her. The quietness oddly sending her nerves up. It was New York – it should be anything but quiet. Isabelle caught Veronica up on what had happened over the hours she had missed. Now that she knew that the location of the Cup would make them a target – seeing as Clary would be the only possible person to know. Veronica grabbed for her stele and waved it over her _stamina_ rune. Alec slowly walked towards his sister with his bow tightly in his grasp.

"See anything?" Alec asked

Veronica shook her head, keeping her eyes searching in front of her. "But I don't like how quite it is. Making me feel uneasy."

"Sure that's not the fact of where we are?"

Veronica sighed and rubbed her hand over her pocket subconsciously feeling for the capsule inside. "Could be."

"He's not gonna do anything stupid." His eyes looking towards the doorway before returning back to his sister. "Once we find out whose put a block on her memories, get them back and get the Cup, we'll be done."

"I sure hope so." Ronnie crossed her arms over her chest. "The last thing we need is a someone dragging around the Institute as the threat of Valentine grows stronger and stronger each day. She's only been here a day and already she's a distraction."

Alec nodded his head agreeing with his sister, but before either Lightwood could speak the sound of footsteps. Alec reacted quickly and grabbed a arrow and threaded it, before aiming it towards the sound of the steps. Veronica moved as quick and grabbed her throwing blades from her holsters on her hips. Both of their eyes looking for the source of the footsteps, new sounds coming from different directions around them.

"We need to get out of here," Alec spoke as the sound of rustling footsteps grew louder and closer.

Behind them they heard the sound of the van door closing, and when Ronnie looked over her shoulder, she saw her sister rushing towards them with her whip in hand. Her eyes looked around her with a focus as she moved towards her older siblings.

"We have a problem," Isabelle spoke.

"We know," Alec and Ronnie spoke at the same time. With a heavy sigh, Ronnie looked between her brother and sister before speaking.

"Protect the mundane, I'll go and get Jace and the girl."

Isabelle looked towards her sister with wide, shocked, and worried eyes. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I know the City of Bones better than you two, I'll get to them faster if I go." She sheathed her throwing knives before grabbing her witchlight tightly from her pocket. "Be careful,"

Ronnie looked between both of her siblings before walking past them quickly and towards the large decrepit double doors that lead to the City of Bones. Her heart began to race with each footstep towards the doors – not fully knowing if it was the adrenaline or the fear.

* * *

 _You are safe. You are safe. You are safe._ Veronica repeated to herself over and over with what seemed every step that she took. The witchlight in her hand glowed brightly as she maneuvered her way through the dark halls. To the sound of footsteps Jace looked up and saw the glow before he realized that it was Veronica that was walking closer and closer to him. He stood there in confusion for a moment before walking towards her quickly.

"What are you doing here? I thought you didn't want to come inside?" Jace spoke quickly.

"We need to go, now." She spoke quickly, slipping her witchlight back into her pocket, her brown eyes looking over Jace's shoulder towards the closed door behind him. "We have movement outside, smells like Nightchildren."

"They have to know that she's here, and more importantly about the cup." Jace turned towards the door, before looking back towards Veronica.

He could see the fear all over her face. Jace couldn't remember the last time he'd seen fear in Veronica's eyes, pretty sure that time being when they were children. He stepped towards her quickly and pressed her back against the wall behind her and placed his hands on her cheeks softly.

"Breathe, Ronnie." He whispered softly and caressed her cheek. He looked down towards her with soft eyes and watched as she slowly began to relax.

Veronica for a moment forgot everything around and began to relax the moment Jace a in her arms. She let out a shaky breath before gripping to his waist tightly and looking up into his eyes.

"Get the girl." She spoke "The faster we find out about the cup, the faster we get out of here."

Jace nodded his head before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead and taking a step away from her and towards the door. Veronica lent forward and grabbed her knees tightly as she took deep breaths. She knew when to be strong. She was trained to be strong and to wean her mind to avoid weakness. But it was like the moment she stepped back into the City, all the training she was given vanished and was gone.

"Child," a dark looming voice spoke from her left, causing her to stand straight quickly and turn towards the voice. "We have not seen you for a long time."

"Brother Jeremiah." Veronica whispered softly.

"Do the memories remain?" Brother Jeremiah "The nightmares?"

Veronica let out a shaky breath and stared towards the Brother, her hands fidgeting.

"No need to answer, Shadowhunter. I already know the answer."

Brother Jeremiah looked down towards Veronica for a moment before walking past her and continuing his way down the hall.

* * *

Veronica didn't have to wait long for Jace to return with Clary, the two of them running towards her. Jace reached and grabbed Veronica's hand tightly before nearly pulling her along with them, racing towards the entrance and out of the City. The moment they are out of the doors, they close tightly behind them and locking.

"What happened?!" Veronica asked panting softly "Are your memories blocked."

Veronica looked towards Clary, whose eyes were wide and she seemed to be in a state of shock.

"Clary?" Veronica stepped closer and grabbed her shoulders, snapping her out of her dazed state slightly. "What did the Brother's say?"

"M-M-My father..." She whispered "My father is Valentine."

 **AN: Very, very sorry for this extremely late update. Work + holidays + finals meant I didn't have time finishing this after starting it. I hope you enjoyed it, if you did please leave a review with your thoughts! Thank you for past reviews and alerts! ~ CB**


	14. Trust

**Fourteen**

Valentine paced up and down the length of the room, the only sound around him was that of the waves hitting the side of the iron walls. He sighed heavily and looked down towards Jocelyn, her face set with a peaceful expression as she lay unconscious. The potion spell keeping her in a deep sleep. The sound of the door open snaps him out of his thought and turning towards the door to see two of his men walking towards him.

"Have you found anything yet?" Valentine asks, his deep voice nearly vibrating through the nearly empty room.

"No, sire." One of them spoke while pulling off his sunglasses to reveal his deep set purple eyes. "But there is more and more talking of Jocelyn's daughter and how she had the cup."

Valentine smirked and nodded his head. "Good, more talking means there is more of a chance someone is going to bring her to me." He looked over his shoulder towards Jocelyn, before turning back towards his men. "And news of the other?"

"There are eyes on them, sir." The other spoke "Keeping an eye on both he institute and tracking when they leave."

Valentine nodded his head and began his pacing once again. "Good job men, we need both of them to make this mission possible. With the Lightwood girl and the cub – we're going to be unstoppable and the Clave will not be able to stop us."

* * *

Veronica let out a heavy sigh as she walked into her bedroom, throwing her weapons belt off to the side and onto the floor. She could feel the tension growing tightly throughout her body, as she tossed her throwing knives onto the table beside her bed before she took a seat. She parted away from the group as they went after Clary's friend that was taken by the Nightchildren. When Clary said she had found out her father was Valentine, it was like that was the final thing for her. They were getting in too deep, and something was telling her this was all gonna come and back fire on them. But Veronica didn't know if that was her instinct or her highly trained mind telling her.

Once she was stripped down, she walked towards the bathroom and quickly stepped into the shower, feeling the relief as the hot water hit against her tight muscles. She rested her head against the tile of her shower and closed her eyes, standing there till the water turned cold. When she walked out, a robe wrapped around her body and closed tight, she stopped to see Jace sitting on her bed. She looked towards him before walking around her room to grab clothes. When she saw him sitting there she realized just how long she was within the shower.

"You giving me the silent treatment now?" Jace spoke, his blue eyes following her as she walked around her bedroom.

"I don't know what you expect me to say, Jace" She spoke as she threw clean clothes onto her bed before taking a seat down beside him at the foot of her bed. "I'm sure you know what I am going to say."

"That we shouldn't be getting into this?" He looked down towards her. She slowly nodded her head.

"I get it, you...feel you need to do this. As much as you try and play off that you don't care Jace. You care deep and wanna help. I don't fault you for that." Veronica turns to look towards him. "But she's Valentine's daughter. We don't know what we are getting in to. We could be walking into a trap."

"I don't think that's how it is" Jace turned towards her more. "Your trust me right?"

"Of course. You know that you're one of the few that I trust most."

"Then please, trust me that this girl needs our help, my gut is just telling me this."

Veronica nodded her head "Ok, I trust you." She paused for a moment. "But that doesn't mean that I trust her at all. She's still Valentines daughter and we don't know exactly what that means. For all we know we are bringing danger into the institute."

Jace reached up and caressed her cheek softly moving hair from her face. "I would never let anything happen to you, or you siblings. We are in this together."

Veronica nodded her head before moving to lean into Jace's side and sighing softly. His arms wrapped around her tightly, his fingers gently moving against her skin as her held her.

"I just can't help the feeling that's sitting in my gut that this is so much bigger than us." She whispered

* * *

Veronica walked down the hall of the Institute, the pounding in her head almost in rhythm with her heels against the marble flooring. For once she felt like she had gotten a good nights sleep, Jace's arms wrapped around her as they slept, but the moment her eyes opened she had a splitting headache. She turned into the weapons and let out a soft sigh of relief since there were no windows inside.

"Morning sunshine," Alec sat at the desk in the back, slowly cleaning his arrows.

"Morning," She grumbled and slowly walked towards her brother, taking the seat across from him and dropping her head into her hands.

"Headache?" He asked, almost visibly seeing the pain rolling off his sister's body. She nodded her head before looking towards her brother.

"I keep waking up with the and every day they seem to be getting worse."

"Taking those pills still?" Alec asked, setting his arrows down in front of him.

"I'm trying not to," Veronica sighed "I don't like how dependent my body is growing towards those. Going to the City of Bones sort of reminded me of that."

"Sure it wasn't Jace with this Clary girl that was giving you these headaches?" Alec smirked towards you.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "I don't trust her, I don't trust what is going on. My gut is telling me that we shouldn't be involved in this, but Jace already has us too deep."

"I agree. I don't trust her either." Alec sighs "We have to keep an eye on her to make sure that nothing happens while she's here and till we get the cup."

"I agree, we get the cup and then we pass Clary off to the Clave and have them deal with her. I'm sure they are going to be more than interested in the fact that she's Valentine's daughter."

Alec nodded his head and reached across the table and gently grabbed his sisters hand and held it tightly. "I've got your back with this, Ronnie. We'll both have to protect Jace for his own good. You know once he has his mind set on something."

Veronica nodded her head. "He doesn't give up. He asked me to trust him yesterday, that he wouldn't do anything to put us in harms way."

"And I'm sure he won't...on purpose...sometimes Jace acts like he doesn't have emotions, but he also makes drastic decisions based on them, and we're gonna have to be the one's that help."

 **AN: hope you all are enjoying the story, much is planned and I'm super excited for the new season even though it is the last. hopefully someone picks the show up. leave a review with your thoughts, predictions, or jut a simple hello ~ CB**


	15. Memory

**Fifteen**

It has only been a couple days since Alec, Jace and Isabelle rescued Clary's friend from the Nightchildren. Ever since then things have been on edge, since the Accords have been broken. There has been another sense of tension in the Institute since Clare was now staying in one of the available apartments. Veronica still didn't trust her and the only one to back her up was Alec. Isabelle was staying in the middle.

Veronica sat in the weapons room sharpening her throwing knives as Isabelle stood at the other end, cataloging everything and making sure everything was still in it's place.

"You know I can feel you annoyance from across the room right?" Isabelle teased, as she stopped to look towards her sister.

"I'm not annoyed. I'm fine." She spoke, but her voice clearly holding tension.

"Jace still not talking to you?" Isabelle asked, setting her tablet down before walking towards her sister and taking a seat beside her.

"It's me not talking to him." Veronica sighed and set her tools down. "We talked the other day, and he told me to trust him. And I do. But I don't trust her."

"Because she's Valentine's daughter?"

"Obviously. When mom came to visit she was talking about him being back and impending war coming. Valentine being the center of that war. We don't know her. We don't know what she capable of."

"Alec says the same thing." Isabelle chuckled softly and shook her head.

Veronica chuckled softly and moved her knives back into her weapons belt and stood from her seat. "Speaking of Alec, let's go see what he's up to. Sure he's having fun babysitting the Mundie"

Isabelle let out a louder laugh as she followed her older sister out of the weapons room and towards the Ops floor. The two sisters finding their brother sitting at his computer and using the vision screen to organize his findings. Hodge stood before the board moving things around with a look of concentration on his face.

"You two find anything?" Veronica asked once she stepped closer "And where the hell is the Mundie?"

"He left." Alec spoke without looking from his screen. "I wasn't exactly jumping up to stop him."

"Clary go with him?" Veronica asked with a sense of hopefulness in her tone, taking a seat beside her brother.

Alec shot his sister a look and quickly shook his head, before turning back to his work. Veronica rolled her eyes and reached for a file off the table and began to flip through it quickly.

"Why are we looking into Mangus Bane?" Veronica asked

"Because he might be the warlock that blocked Clary's memory." Jace spoke coming from behind the group and looking over the vision board before turning towards Alec and Veronica. Jace caught the way Veronica's body stiffened when he approached them, and couldn't help but frown. "We're going to be heading to a Downworlder Party to seek him out. Shouldn't be too hard since Alec and Isabelle met him, back when you were poisoned"

Subconsciously Veronica reached down and gently touched her side, underneath her shirt a scar left behind from that night.

"We're going to a party?" Isabelle perked up and smiled "Oh, this is going to be fun. Get to dress up and dance?"

"We're going for work, Izzy." Alec rolled his eyes and closed off his tablet. "We need to get ready. I'll reach out to Mangus and send a message, hoping to entice him into meeting with us."

"Izzy, you and Veronica get Clary ready. Make sure she is prepared for tonight?"

"Ugh, Izzy can do that." Veronica spoke up "I'll get myself ready and make sure we have weapons for tonight."

Veronica stood up from her seat quickly and pulled her jacket around her more, pushing her shoulder into Jace's as she walked away. He quickly turned and grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her place and causing her brown eyes to snap towards him.

"Hey, what is up with you?" Jace spoke "I thought we worked this out?"

"We did." She stepped closer to her, lowering her voice so that only Jace would hear her. "And I told you how I felt, and you should respect that. I will help you with this Jace, but that doesn't mean I have to smile and play along nicely."

Veronica snatched her hand out of his hold and left quickly towards her apartment before Jace could even say anything. Isabelle stood up quickly and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry Jace, she'll warm up and come around."

"She's pissed at me."

Isabelle shrugged her shoulder "My sister is stubborn, and you should know this."

Jace sighed and pulled her to the side for more privacy "I don't know what I'm doing."

"Just follow your heart, and you'll be fine." She smiled before stepping away and following after her sister.

* * *

Veronica flipped on her thigh high boot and laced them up quickly, her long hair curled around her face and falling down her back. She let out a soft sigh as she stood up straight, before turning towards the mirror and straightened out her leather skirt. Her brown eyes were framed with purple smoked out eye shadow, and her lips covered in shimmery gloss. She wasn't happy about going to a Downworlder party, but she was gonna make sure she looked the part.

"Well holy shit." Isabelle whistled as she leaned against her sister's bedroom door "Don't you look sexy." Veronica smirked and turned to face her sister. Isabelle walked towards her more and fixed the necklace around her sister's neck. "Is that my top?"

Veronica shrugged as she adjusted her low cut top. "Maybe. But it looks cute with my outfit."

Isabelle smiled "It does look good. Clary is all set and dressed and they're all waiting in the foyer. Do you wanna be with Alec as backup? Keep an eye on us?"

"Sure." Veronica nodded and grabbed her throwing blade into the garter holder. Before adding her seraph blade into her boots. "Let's get going."

Veronica grabbed her sisters hand and pulled her out of her their apartment and towards the others. Their heels letting the others know of their arrival, and causing them to turn towards him. Jace couldn't hide the look on his face when he saw Veronica. He always thought she was beautiful. But rarely has he seen dressed like she was, and he couldn't lie, it took his breath away.

"Holy shit, Ronnie." Alec's eyes widened at his sister's appearance, also taken a bit back.

"What?" She smirked "Gotta dress the part right?"

"Y-You look amazing." Jace spoke, his face still in a state of shock. Ronnie couldn't help the soft blush that covered her cheeks, before she turned towards Clary.

"I don't know if these boys gave you something to protect yourself? But if things go down, we can't protect you." Veronica grabbed the extra seraph blade from her boot and passed it to the girl. "Use this. Have it guide you."

Clary hesitantly took the blade from the older Lightwood girl, tightening her grasp around the handle. She looked up towards Veronica and nodded her head.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me." She spoke quickly "You're the one that has to use it. Don't die."

Clary nodded her head before all five of them headed out of the Institute and onto the streets towards the location. Jace walked up beside Veronica and quickly took her hand, causing her to stiffen at first. But quickly relaxed into his touch.

* * *

Veronica watched from her post as Clary walked into the club with Jace and Isabelle following close behind her. From across the club she knew that Alec was in his watching post, arrow drawn and ready. She paced slowly and kept her eyes sharp, looking for anything that as out of place.

"You see anything?" Alec spoke from her ear piece. She shook her head knowing that her brother could see her. "Keep your eye peeled. Mangus is approaching."

She looked towards the bar to see an extravagantly dressed warlock walking towards the others. She never met Mangus from before, but she was quick to assume that was him. Veronica reached down and grabbed her blade from her holder as she waited and watched. It didn't take long for something to catch her eye. Standing not far behind Mangus she caught two men slowly walking through the crowd. Her back straightened as she watched them move closer, catching the Circle rune on of their necks.

"Watch out!" Veronica shouted, moving quickly to throw her knife. It flew precisely though the ground and into the mans chest, catching the attention of everyone in the club. The man dropped to the ground quickly, as Alec pointed and aimed towards an accomplice, the arrow piercing his chest and killing him.

The Lightwood siblings moved quickly down from their posts and headed towards the others. Veronica watched as Mangus moved quickly across the bar, and towards the back to make his escape. Clary rushed after him shouting his name to stop him.

"He's a member of the Circle." Veronica spoke as she stuck her boot to the dead mans chest, and pulled her blade out, "Meaning Valentine has found us. We need to go. Now!"

Everyone around them moved in a frenzy, Veronica moving to grab her sister's hand and pull her towards the back entrance, moving towards the way that Mangus left. Alec followed close behind along with Jace and Clary.

"We need to stop him! He's the only way to get my memories!" Clary shouted as she followed behind.

The moment all five of them burst out the back entrance of the club everything around them fell silent, with no trace of the warlock. Clary fell back against the back door, her hands on her knees, as she tried to catch her breath.

"We need to move. It's not safe." Veronica spoke "Valentine's men have found us, and as far as we know, the two inside aren't the only ones."

"I-I'm just trying to catch my breath." Clary panted

Alec let out a frustrated noise and ran his fingers through his hair. "Our only leverage is now gone! How are we going to explain this to Hodge again? Mangus left with the necklace and we didn't get anything from him."

"Alec...calm down." Jace spoke calmly "We still have a chance at getting her memories back."

"How?" Alec shouted "We have risked our lives over and over again. We have found nothing and are right back to where we were before!"

"Lower your voice." Jace growled.

"Why?" Veronica jumped in and crossed her arms over her chest. "Scared she'll hear how we really feel? Don't wanna hurt her feelings? Alec is right. This is bullshit what we're doing and we have lost the necklace."

"Hey" Clary shouted catching all their attention "I'm standing right here. And I could really care a less about your necklace. I'm more worried about finding my mother."

Veronica stepped towards her and glared down towards the red head, Clary shrinking back slightly from her burst of confidence. "And whose gonna find your mother when we're all dead?" Clary looked towards her, opening her mouth a few times with no words coming out. "That's what I thought. We are doing you a favor with helping you out."

Jace gently grabbed back on Veronica's hand to pull Veronica from the girl. Isabelle pulled Clary off to the side, knowing it would be better since both her siblings were upset.

"This isn't her fault," Jace spoke, his hands gently rubbing along her folded arms. "There are other ways for us to find Mangus."

Veronica rolled her eyes and stepped out of his hold. "Jace. Just stop."

"Stop? Stop what?" He looked towards her confused.

"Stop defending her." Veronica snapped "It's clear whose side you're on, and frankly it's pissing me right off."

"Ronnie," Jace clenched down on his jaw. "I'm not on any side. We need to find the cup before Valentine."

"Yea." She scuffed "I'm sure that is all you're trying to do."

* * *

After a few moments for everyone to calm down, Jace and Alec tracked down Mangus, after finding Clary had caught one of the buttons off his jacket. Veronica and Alec kept their distance as she moved towards the location Mangus was tracked down to. When walking in, quickly, everyone was able to conclude that Valentine had found Mangus. Veronica broke off with Alec and Jace, as Isabelle and Clary went in the opposite direction. It didn't take long to take down Valentine's men. Not many of them inside the warehouse. When everything fell silent, they were able to find the Warlock, hiding in a back office with other warlocks.

"Thank you for protecting us." Mangus spoke with a slight smile on his face "You didn't have to, and for that, I owe you."

"The only thing we came here for was for the girl to get her memories back." Veronica spoke "Can you do that?"

Mangus nodded "We're going to have the summon the memory demon. And with that I'm going to need your absolute participation."

"Whatever you need." Clary spoke with urgency. "Anything that will help me get my mother back."

Mangus nodded his head and moved towards the center of the office, moving to draw a pentagram onto the concrete floor, before standing back.

"We will all have to stand in a circle, and grasp hand. With that I will draw the demon in." Mangus explained. "We must never break the bond no matter what. Not till he his gone. For if you release him, he will grow too strong, and kill us all."

Everyone nodded their head in understanding, before moving into a circle. One by one grasping each others hand, before Mangus chanted a spell, bringing forth the demon. Veronica and the others felt a force push them slightly, the smoke of the demon forming before them.

"The demon asks that each of us relinquish a memory of those that we love" Mangus shouted over the growling of the demon.

One by one the memory was pulled from the mind of each and every person. Clary being her mother. Isabelle being her parents. But when it came to Veronica it was a memory involving Jace. It was a memory from a few years ago and he played the piano for her. They were alone in the living room of her childhood home. It was the moment that Veronica knew that she loved Jace. That he was her person. The force of the memory caused a wave to push them back, Alec's hand being pulled from Clary's. Once the bond was broken, the force sent everyone back. Veronica let out a scream of pain as her back slammed into the concrete wall behind her, instantly knowing it was gonna bruise in the morning. When she moved to sit up, her widened in horror as the demon grew before them.

"He's growing too strong, I can't hold him much longer!" Mangus screamed as he fought with the demon.

Veronica watched as Alec moved to stand, standing too close to the demon. "Alec! No!"

She moved to save her brother, but Jace had beaten her to it, and was quickly grabbed by the demon and pulled into his vortex.

"Jace!" Veronica screamed and pulled Alec away before he was grabbed again. She reached quickly for Jace's hand, but when he grabbed it, she was pulled within the vortex.

She could feel the smoke filling her lungs from the demon, slowly chocking her as he grew stronger and bigger. Veronica could feel her lungs struggle for air with each and every breath. But as quickly as it happened – it was over. Veronica fell to the floor hard and winced at the pain that shot up her back. But the burn in her lungs was much more painful. Veronica reached up and grabbed her throat as she tried to catch her breath.

"Jace! Jace!" The sound of her sister's frantic voice caught her attention, seeing Jace laying on the floor not moving. She moved quickly and ignored her pain to move towards him.

"Jace..." Veronica spoke, her voice hoarse "Jace, come on get up."

She grabbed at his chest and shook him gently, when he didn't move or wake, she shook him harder.

"Jace! Wake up." Veronica spoke louder, panic seeping into her chest as he didn't move. Isabelle covered with her mouth with her hands as she watched her sister desperately try to wake him. "Jace!"

Veronica placed her hand on his chest and leaned on him more, before grabbing his face and slapping his cheek to wake him. After a few more moments, he opened his eyes with a start and jolted up from the floor. Everyone relaxed in relief as he violently coughed from the smoke choking him. Veronica moved quickly to throw her arms around him and held him tightly to her chest.

"I'm ok." He coughed "I'm ok."

Jace moved to hold her tightly and buried his face into her neck, her scent slowly calming him as he breathed her in. She was the first to pull away and gently caressed his cheeks, pushing the hair from his eyes.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again." Veronica spoke, her voice choking at the end.

Jace reached and wipe the lone tear off her cheek, before bringing her close to his chest again. He looked up around him to see everyone was watching, Clary still holding the seraph blade tight in her grasp.

"D-Did you kill the demon?" He asked. Clary still nodding her head. "Thank you."

"N-No problem." She spoke with a shaky voice, obviously still in shock.

* * *

Everyone headed back to the Institute, quickly splitting off, and going their own ways to clean up. Veronica was the first the shower once her and Isabelle got back to their apartment. She slipped on one of her old t-shirts and a pair of shorts, before heading out and down to Jace's apartment. Veronica hesitated for a moment, biting down on her lower lip with nerves. Behind her she heard footsteps, causing her to turn around quickly, and saw Clary walking down the hallway.

"Hey," Veronica spoke gently, causing Clary to stop. She walked towards the girl and took a deep breath before speaking again. "I never got to thank you – for earlier...with the demon."

"Oh," Clary shook her head. "You don't have to thank me."

"But I do." Veronica chuckled nervously. "I know that I haven't been the nicest to you. But do know it's cause I am very protective of my family."

"I understand," Clare shrugged "I am the same when it comes to my family and friends."

Veronica smiled "It means a lot that you helped. I'm not fully on board with this, especially with Valentine being involved. My guard is gonna be up a little bit."

"I get it. If I were in your shoes I would be the same. I'm a stranger that has come in. Don't worry I get it."

Veronica smiled towards her and nodded her head, before grabbing the handle and walking into Jace's room. She looked around the room as she looked around the apartment, seeing a trail of clothes heading towards his bedroom. Gently pushing off from the door she walked across the apartment towards his room. When Veronica gently pushed on the door she saw him lying on his bed in a pair of pj pants and no shirt. She reached up and knocked twice on the door, catching his attention.

"Hey," She spoke softly "How are you?"

Jace sat up and patted the other side of his bed, inviting her to sit with him. She pushed away from the door and quickly moved to crawl towards him. Jace wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down to lay beside him. His arms pulled her close to his chest and gently brushed hair from her face.

"I should be asking you how you are." He spoke gently.

"I'm ok." She sighed and moved her hand along his chest, tracing the runes marked on his skin. "I was more scared about you. Seeing you laying there like that, and not moving...scared me."

"I'm ok, I promise." Jace spoke.

The couple laid in silence holding each other, Jace gently playing with her hair as her hand traced against his skin. Having her close like this calmed him. Centered him. Because Jace was scared. Being trapped within the demon, and watching her get pulled in with him, rattled him. But he wasn't gonna tell her that. He didn't need her worrying about him.

"I saw the memory," Jace spoke softly looking down towards her, causing her to look up towards him. "The one the demon took. It was powerful, that's why it knocked us back."

"The memory of you playing for me, from before I left." She smiled "I remember coming down the stairs, the sound of you playing woke me up." Her eyes shifted towards him, and she could see his blue eyes shining towards her. "It was so beautiful. I-I needed to see you playing. The emotion that was coming through it was so..." She paused not being able to find the words.

"It was about you." Jace spoke and reached to caress her cheek "I-I just sat down and started to play, and the song just came to me."

"Jace," Veronica whispered and reached up to grab his wrist and hold him to her.

He sighed and closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against her. The intense feeling Jace always had when he was with her was growing more and more intense. It was like a vice fisted around his heart.

"I love you, Ronnie." Jace whispered, is eyes looking deep into hers as he spoke. "I have since we were kids. But I-I was too scared to admit it. And I know we talked about no longer fighting this...but I need you to know how I feel."

Tears welled up in Veronica's eyes as he spoke, feeling the raw emotion as he spoke and seeing the sincerity in his eyes. She knew how hard it is for Jace to speak on how he felt. Always being one to hold it in, and bottle it up.

"Because I can feel you pulling back from me," Jace bit down on his lip. "And that scares me more than anything."

"I love you too, Jace" Veronica spoke before he bent down and kissed her deeply. His hands holding her face as they kissed.

The two pulled away from each other, deep hard breaths passing between the two of them, their hands holding the other close.

"I'm not pulling from you, Jace." Veronica spoke softly "I'm just scared."

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." Jace kissed her forehead and holds her, her head gently resting on his chest.

Veronica sighed softly and closed her eyes and she slowly fell asleep in the comfort of Jace's arms.

 _AN: I know, it has been a long time. But work, school and in general life has made it very hard for me to write this. Also the cancellation of the show kinda broke my inspiration, but after binging a few episodes it's all back. please leave a review with thoughts ~ CB_


	16. Maryse Lightwood

**Sixteen**

Valentine paced back in forth of the abandoned warehouse going over again and again what his men told him happened with Mangus and the failed attempt of grabbing the warlock. As angry as he was to learn that not only did the warlock get away, but most of his men had been killed in the act thanks to the Shadowhunters. To say he wasn't expecting them was an understatement. He needed Clary – that was on his list – but with Jocelyn in her magical coma – she was not on his list of worries at the moment. But now with her interfering into his plans twice that might have to change. Along with acquiring Veronica Lightwood.

Valentine knew of the girl and her high ranging of not only skill, but of high importance to the Clave. He used to be of the higher ranked Shadowhunters, and he knew that he would need her in order for his plan to go smoothly. With Jocelyn, the Cup and Veronica on his side he knew that he would unstoppable and easily take over the Clave.

"You wanted to see me boss?" a voice spoke from behind him, causing Valentine to stop within his tracks and turn towards the boy in front of him.

"Yes." He smirked and stepped towards him, gently placing his hands on either side of the boys shoulders "How is the investigation of the Institute happening? Any news on our girl?"

"Veronica has been submitted back to patrol. Her healing from her demon attack complete and was given clearance." the Shadowhunter spoke "She is already patrolling with Jace and her siblings. Also she's not a fan of your daughter."

Valentine chuckled "Of course she's not. She's a smart girl. I want moves to begin to be made on her. Do you have the vials?" the Shadowhunter nodded his head. "Good. Don't use them all too quickly. If her file take from the Brother's is true we don't want things to move too quickly. We want things to slowly begin to happen so her family doesn't notice the change. Then we can take her. She'll be easier to turn after a few weeks."

"Yes, sir."

Valentine smiled down towards him and gently patted his shoulder, before pulling away and letting the boy leave. Valentine couldn't help but smile more to himself as he thought more and more of the plan he had. He knew that Veronica wouldn't come willingly to his side without some persuasion and factors being put into place. He thought of every step. Every aspect. And _nothing_ was going to get in the way this time.

* * *

Veronica quickly threw her bag into her apartment and left the door open behind her as she walked towards the kitchen and quickly grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. She has just come back from patrol and ran into a few troubles on the way back. With most Downworlder's knowing that Valentine and the Cup – along with Clary being at the institute – Downworlder's were more and more making it their mission to get information on the Cup and it's whereabouts. She let out a loud exasperated sigh after chugging down nearly all of her water and set the bottle down to the side on the counter. As she moved to take off her jacket, Jace walked into her apartment and rushed towards her quickly, closing the door behind him on the way out.

"Let me see your side." Jace spoke with exasperation in his voice.

"I'm fine." She sighed and rolled her eyes slightly as she tossed her jacket onto the back of one of the bar stools. "It barely knocked into me."

"Veronica don't. You just got clearance and we don't need something else coming along to take you off patrol."

Jace gently placed his hands on her waist and looked down towards her and rubbed his thumb against her exposed skin. Veronica took a deep breath and slowly stared to calm Jace's scent washed over her. When she nodded her head, he reached down and gently pulled up her shirt exposing the bruise that was starting to form along her ribs.

"They aren't broken." Veronica spoke as she twisted slightly and looked towards him. "Like I said, it barely ran into me. We gotta get better on communication. Cause if the Institute catches wind that we're getting hurt on missions they are gonna pull us apart."

"I agree." Jace spoke softly as he pulled down her shirt. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone off alone. I just..."

Jace groaned and moved to bury his face into her neck and pulled her closer into his chest, before turning his head and kissing her skin softly.

"You can't watch my back and yours too." Veronica pulled back and caressed his cheek softly before rising slightly onto her toes and kissing his lips.

Jace deepened the kiss and pressed her harder against the counter of the bar behind her, his hands moving down along her sides before moving up to fist her hair tightly. Veronica's arms wrapped around his neck and whimpered slightly as his bit her lower lips slightly.

"How is it I can't keep my hands off you now?" Jace whispered against her lips, their breath mixing together as his forehead rested against her.

"Mmm, think it's cause now you know that I'm not mad at you." Veronica teased "And that I actually love you." Jace's smile widened as he started down towards her. "Another reason why we gotta stay together. It makes us stronger."

Jace nodded his head and sighed softly, pulling away from her slightly. "I agree. Are we gonna tell anyone?"

"Alec and Izzy already know." She looked towards him confused.

"I'm talking about the Institute and the rest of the Clave." Jace paused as Veronica's back straightened slightly.

"I don't think that would be a good idea. My parents already pulled us apart once I don't want that happening again. I'm finally home, Jace."

"You really think they did that? Send you off." Veronica nodded her head and that was enough for Jace to believe her. "Alright, then we'll keep this between us and your siblings."

"Thank you." Veronica whispered and grabbed on his jacket to pull him closer.

"Don't have to thank me, Ron. I'm always gonna have your back."

Jace smiled before bending down to once again kiss her. The two were so lost into each other that they didn't notice or hear Isabelle, Alec and Clary walk into the apartment. They all halted quickly when they noticed the two together in the kitchen, neither of the quite sure what to say. Isabelle couldn't hide the smile that spread across her face and the sound of joy that left her lips.

"Finally!" She nearly yelled out.

Veronica and Jace jumped away from each other and turned towards the small audience, a deep crimson spreading across all of their cheeks.

"H-hey guys." Jace cleared his through and reached his hand behind his head and scratched his neck.

"Having fun?" Alec teased as he looked between the two. "We came to share some news with you guys...but it looks like you're a little more preoccupied."

"No. No." Veronica walked around Jace and towards the living where everyone was already starting to take a seat. "What's up?"

"I saw Valentine...s-spoke to Valentine."

"What?" Jace and Veronica spoke in unison as they looked towards Clary in shock.

"When? How?" Jace moved towards her and took a seat beside her on the couch. Veronica had to bite down on the jealousy that was quickly making it's way up her throat as she watched them.

"While you guys were on patrol. I had a necklace of my moms...and I was thinking about naturally, and then suddenly I was in this warehouse. It was foggy around me and it was like I was hovering over it." Clary spoke, her focus mainly on Jace. "And then Valentine was there and he spoke to me."

"Tell them what he said." Alec from beside Veronica, his arms tightly crossed at his chest.

"He wanted my mother for the Cup."

"That sounds like a bullshit trap." Veronica rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips "This warehouse, was there any indication of where it is?" Clary shook her head quickly. "Damn it."

"What do we do?" Jace asked turning more towards the rest of the group.

"I had no choice but to send the information to the Clave." Alec sighed, releasing his arms from his chest. "Valentine now as a possible way of seeing into the Institute and we can't have that."

Veronica's stomach dropped into her chest. "T-That means..."

"Mom's coming for a visit." Isabelle spoke, interrupting her sister and sending her a look of empathy.

Jace stood up and moved towards Veronica quickly and wrapped a protective hand around her, whispering words of comfort. The last time Veronica had heard from her mother she was speaking of sending her away on a war that no one thought was happening. And now that Valentine was confirmed to be back, this would only seem as something to further push Maryse's agenda to take her daughter away. Away into battle.

* * *

It has been two days since Alec sent word back to Idris, and awaiting for word on whether or not Maryse was coming. Veronica sighed deeply and threw down on a file onto her desk and swiftly took a seat. She reached into her drawer and grabbed a few of her dragonfly glass files and took a dosage, aching for a relief to the pain building in her head.

"She's here." Isabelle spoke quickly as she walked into the Ops room floor and towards her sister, her long black hair flying behind her like a cape.

"Fuck." She quickly took down her dosage before standing from her desk.

The Ops room stopped the moment Maryse Lightwood walked out onto the top balcony. Her presence commanding attention, order and obedience from every single person in the room. Her cold eyes scanned across the room, before landing on her eldest daughter, she turned her head slightly to the person beside her and whispered something, before turning back towards the Ops room.

"Is everyone here?" She spoke out, her eyes scanning more and more over the room. Veronica took that as a opportunity to look around too and noticed that nearly every single Shadowhunter was within in the Ops room. When her eyes landed on Jace she couldn't help but feel a little relief. He stood towards the far back walls with Alec and Clary beside him. He gave her a small nod, before turning his eyes back towards Maryse.

"I want everyone to hear me, and to listen closely. We as an Institute need to prepare." She gripped the balcony banister tightly. "We have confirmation that Valentine Fairchild is alive and rebuilding the Circle." Gasps and murmurs spread across the room quickly, before turning their eyes back. "We need every single of you to keep a look out for anything suspicious. Any activity, people around the Institute, or any rumors you hear while on patrol. Also no one is allowed out of this Institution after 11 o'clock at night without permission and clearance." Maryse spoke. "We are in Code Four, everyone. Prepare yourselves."

Veronica sagged slightly in relief as her mother turned and walked towards the back of the Institute. Alec, Clary and Jace moved quickly through the crowd towards Isabelle and Veronica as everyone moved back to their work.

"Code Four, I think that's a bit extreme." Alec spoke as he stood in front of his sisters."

"Mom always goes for the extreme you should know that, dear brother." Izzy rolled her eyes.

"How long do you think till she asks to speak with us?" Ronnie spoke, speaking more to her siblings than any one else.

"Oh I don't think long at all." Alec spoke as he locked eyes with a Officer from the Clave walking towards them. Veronica turned around to follow her brothers eyes and noticed it was the person their mother has whispered to before.

"Fuck," Veronica groaned before the Officer got closer.

"Veronica Lightwood, Clary Fairchild and Jace Wayland. Mrs. Lightwood would like to see you in the Director's office." The Officer turned quickly and walked away from them before stopping and turning back towards them. "Now."

Alec reached over and gave his sister's hand a gentle squeeze before they all walked behind the Officer and headed towards the Office. Isabelle shot her brother a worried look and stepped closer to him.

"You don't think Mom is going to take her away already, do you?" Isabelle whispered

Alec looked down towards his little sister and could see the worry etched across her features. He opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it without a word. Because truthfully he wasn't sure and was just as worried.

* * *

Veronica took a deep breath and reached behind her to take Jace's hand and squeeze it, just like Alec had done for her, but before the Officer could open the door he kissed the back of her hand. They dropped hands quickly as the double doors opened and they walked inside, Clary walking between the both of them, before the door was closed tightly behind the door. Maryse sat behind the desk already going through paper's and reports from missions. When she looked up, Maryse stood up from the chair and walked around to greet them.

"Jace! Oh it's so good to see you my dear." She smiled and walked towards him first, before embracing him with a hug. Her smile faltered as she looked towards Veronica. "Veronica...sweetie, you look well."

"Mom." She forced a smile on her lips. "You wanted to see us?"

"Yes. I wanted to see how your training is going." She stepped back "I see you were just taken off of leave from a injury?"

"I'm fine now." Veronica spoke quickly. "All healed up."

"Good. We're going to be increasing your training." Maryse straightened her back. "Your father will be coming to train you."

"Training for what?" Jace asked, shooting his eyes between Veronica and her mother.

"For Valentine of course. You will be trained as well, Jace." She clasped her hands together. "We need our best for what is to come. Valentine won't be taken down lightly."

"So you're sending me on another death mission?" Veronica snapped and stepped towards her mother. "No. Not this time."

"You don't have a choice." Maryse spoke sternly. Veronica took a step back and bowed her head. "Jace, I'm also gonna need for you to go with Isabelle to the Seale territory. They have cut off communication with us and I wanna know why." Jace nodded his head. "Now leave me wit Ms. Fairchild. We have some...acquainting to get to."

The moment she was dismissed, Veronica turned on her heal and headed out of the office, Jace following close behind. They walked quick and briskly and the moment they turned down the hallway towards their apartment, Jace grabbed her hand and pulled her towards his apartment. He looked around quickly to make sure there weren't any watchful eyes before he opened his door and pulled her inside. Jace watched as she let out a scream of anger before walking towards the wall and punching it over and over. Jace walked over and quickly grabbed her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. Her screams turned to cries, violent cries, and she shook against his hold. Jace turned her in his arms and buried his face into his chest as she cried. Gently rocking her. Veronica was the strongest person that he knew, but the one thing to crumble that strength was her mother.


End file.
